AM Philip Rajkumar replying to a blog post..

Philip Rajkumar on May 1, 2012 at 6:01 am said:
philip rajkumar
I worked in the LCA project for nine years from 17 Sep 1994 to 31 Aug 2003 (actually 17 days short of nine years!). I was deputed to ADA by the IAF to oversee the flight test programme of the Technology Demonstration phase of the project. Having been on both sides of the fence i have a few points to make.
1. Development of a capable aeronautical industry is a small step by small step evolutionary process.Infrastructure and skill sets of the work force have to be built up over decades with considerable effort. All this requires investment of money and managerial resources. Mainly due to financial constraints and lack of vision in the IAF, HAL and the GOI we allowed capabilities built up during the Marut and Kiran programmes to atrophy. While the world leapt ahead with several technological innovations like fly by wire,digital avionics and use of composites for structures HAL did not run a single research programme because it was not the practice to do research unless it was linked to a specicific project.
2.The LCA project is where it is today thanks to one man-Dr VS Arunachalam who as the SA to RM in 1985 had the gumption and clout to go to the GOI and convince them that India could build a fourth generation fighter. It was a leap of faith no doubt.
3. HAL feels wronged about being asked to play second fiddle to ADA. This pique continues to hurt the project even today.
4. Without help from Dassault of France,BAE Systems UK, Lockheed Martin of the USA and Alenia of Italy we would not have succeeded in developing the fly by wire flight control system,glass cockpit,and composite structures for the two TD aircraft.
5. So far the flight safety record of the programme has been good. I pray every day that it remains that way. The loss of an aircraft early in the programme would have surely lead to its closure.
6.All pilots who have flown the aircraft say its handling qualities are very good. It means it is easy to fly and perform the mission.
7.It needs to be put into IAF sevice as soon as possible to gain more experience to iron out bugs which are sure to show up during operational use.
8.Programme management could have been better. IAF is to blame for washing its hands off the project for 20 years from 1986-2006. A management team was put in place at ADA in 2007.
9.Dr Kota Harinarayana and all those who have worked and continue to work have done so with great sincerity and dedication.
10.Indian aeronautics has benefitted immensely from the programme. It is a topic for separate research.
11. It was a rare privilege for me to have been given an opportunity to contribute to the programme by setting up the National Flight Test Centre and putting place a methodology of work which has ensured safety so far.
12. According to me the project can be called a complete success only when the aircraft sees squadron service for a couple of decades. We will have to wait but it is progressing on the right lines and we as a nation have nothing to be ashamed of.

http://tkstales.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/the-tejas-arrives/

that is shocking right? That how I felt when I heard from you that a locomotive engine can be changed or swapped in 10 minutes

Yes it can be changed in a very short time.It happens always.Even between AC and Diesel traction.

Even our Prithvi missiles does not have a good TEL and its logistical footprint is not very good. Iskander is the best SRBM system in the world and that include the storage, mobility and the logistical footprint.

what we see (or consider) in the above picture is 22 x Iskander missiles (one re-load truck is empty, else it is 24).
The payload of each missile is 450+ Kg though some mention Iskander-M with 800Kg payload. If we take 450Kg of payload per missile, what we are seeing in that picture is nearly 11tons (for 24 nos) of deliverable payload upto a range of 480Km from just 12 trucks!

compute that to how many we require for the Prithvi to deliver the same payload (to the same range) and we will understand why good TEL is required.
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What a half arsed analysis that!
You have to compare at battery level.Did you also forget the C&C , main. and other vehicles?

One Prithvi Battery has 16 missiles and the logistics include 4 TELs and 5 support vehicles which include a missile re-supply & loading vehicle, a propellant tanker , a survey vehicle and also a command post.
That comes to 16000 kg payload to 350 km in case of Prithvi III.
Now , the Iskander M with a payload of 480kg for 400 km.A Iskander operational battery is expected to consist of two TELs with two reload vehicles, two command and control vehicles, two mission planning vehicles, a maintenance vehicle, and a crew accommodation vehicle.
that comes to around 8 missiles – total payload 3840 kg to 400 kms.
But again this comparison is itself dubious since Iskander is technologically one generation ahead of Prithvi which is liquid fuelled.Better would be to compare with something like the Prahaar?

what a matured strategic force needs is an automotive TEL. Not a TEL which needs another diesel engine to give it motive power…….

Thats just your opinion.Prithvi TEL is just fine.
http://www.bemlindia.nic.in/documents/Products/Defence/Eqpt%20Spec/Prithvi%20Missile%20Launcher.pdf
We do require a good TEL for Agni III and V though.But they going to be canisterised and most probably 16×16 Tata LPTA series.[they do have very good 6×6 , 8×8 and 12×12 vehicles as well as lps 4928 trailer]

I’m not an expert on the matter….so it puzzles me on how that 20K range is possible :confused:
Does it not follow a pure ballistic trajectory….or …..is that range achieved by the final stage orbiting for a while before re-entry?
Can anyone explain?

Originally posted byMercurius I do not know of any ICBM for which a range of more than 20,000 km has been claimed. So I view Arun_S’s claim with more than a large dose of scepticism.

The payload is important here.Most operational ICBMs will travel 20000 km or more if payload is adjusted.Similar is for rockets carrying various payloads to medium earth orbits or geosynchronous orbits.

Nasa need to learn too…man that bin next to the brown jacket is almost spilling over..!!:eek:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eoa7aTS35vI/TJfdzVbqohI/AAAAAAAAAlk/rBDMGa3Vwm0/s1600/Mission_control_centerShuttle.jpg
http://www.firstpost.com/topic/organization/indian-space-research-organisation-indian-scientists-watch-displays-as-they-sit-in-th-image-0e5G3ApfoPaNs-91727-1.html

:rolleyes:

the ability of some people at self depreciation never ceases to amaze me…

PAKFA animation with IAF roundels and neat camo..:D
click on the animation link..
http://www.combataircraft.com/en/Military-Aircraft/Sukhoi/PAK-FA/

Astute class begs to differ:D

Yep astute is my favourite in the “looks” department.

Atlast some relatively good news on he Vik..December 4th is the date (for now!)

Sea trials of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya are scheduled to start on May 25, Russia’s Sevmash shipyard said.
The vessel, which was originally intended for the Soviet Navy, but then refitted for India, will be taken to the White Sea and then to the Barents Sea where it will stay for three to four months.
“After sea trials are complete, we plan to transfer the carrier to India by December 4,” Sevmash said.
At present, the Vikramaditya’s main power generators are being tested and the sleeping and living quartes are being fininshed. Crew training was completed in late March, Sevmash said.

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20120406/172652598.html