Indian Naval Tejas MCA - Maiden Flight mid-2008?

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India eyes 2008 maiden flight for naval Tejas

10 September 2007

By Rahul Bedi

The naval version of India's long-delayed Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) will make its maiden flight by mid-2008, according to a senior programme official. Air force sources, meanwhile, have highlighted new problems with the aircraft.

P S Subramanyam, programme director of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is overseeing development of the locally designed aircraft, said on 1 September that two naval LCA prototypes capable of carrier operations had been approved. The aircraft have a larger cockpit and canopy than the Tejas designed for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Indian Navy has a long-standing projected requirement for a mix of 40 two-seat and single-seat LCAs for carrier deployment.

Speaking at the Aeronautical Society of India, Subramanyam also revealed details of the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA): a twin-engine fighter being developed by the ADA for strike missions.

Planned as an advanced LCA version, the proposed MCA, which is still awaiting governmental approval, would encompass stealth, thrust vectoring and super cruise features.

The ADA is also developing a supersonic lead-in fighter trainer to better prepare combat pilots at affordable prices, Subramanyam said. Official sources have not ruled out an international collaboration on both projects.

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© 2007 Jane's Information Group

The normal version is well normal, but the naval version will have stealth, thrust vectoring and super cruise? 

[tigershark]

The government would claim the price is to high and must then redo the project at once.   javascript:void(0);
Wink

If it happen in 2008 it would be nice but with India one never knows it seems nobody is in charge of such matters.   I really feel Pakistan's AF will be flying at least the first squadron of JF-17s before this India project or the 126 fighter bid ever become real.   The Mirage 2000 offered what like five years ago are looking mighty good about now to all those Mig-21/23/27/29A pilots wouldn't you say? 
I still think Mirage 2000 and Flanker would have been a good lo high mix for the IAF.

 

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I agree, but maybe luckily for India, the JF-17 are not as big a deal as the PAF claims they are.

The MMRCA RfP is out, response deadline is March 2008, then there will be a short-list and selection, government approval? and finally negotiation, lead-time, tailoring work, test-time, acceptance tests, training... well let's say they'll have their new jets by the time we're flying F-35s and their Flankers have started rotating through maintenance for their first major overhaul?    That, or if speedy delivery is a requirement, it will be a very easy selection: MiG-35

The Navy is getting the MiG-29K/KUB, I'd scrap the MCA plans... and try to get some surplus Super Hornets or better new F-35B/C in the future. Spend that money on the conversion trainer instead.


PS: Looks like your smileys are not working? You know you can just type ; and ) to form

[tigershark]

I agree that the JF-17s aren't as good as Pakistan would have hope they would have been.   I think if China's radar and missiles were good or even average they wouldn't have looked into getting French missile/radar combo.   Having a little taste of good fighters American made Vipers they want more then super J-7s which the JF-17 basically are.   I do think the JF-17s are a good route for Pakistan to go into to get away from old Mirages and J-7P, it's still a step up that they should take.   To weed out 2nd generation fighters and go up to 3rd is still better.   The bulk of India's air force fleet are 3rd generation so it's not like their being left in the dust just behind but in sight.   Another thought I have is that France is going to break the no trade agreement with China within five years and you'll see Rafale tech built into J-10 Block-II's if not direct sale of Rafales.   I know it sounds crazy but France needs the money they invested too much into the Rafale program not to land any sales.    I think Frances government knows the F-35 going to blow away their aircraft industry even more so then the F-16 did.   They need to get this big one slipped in before it's too late, it's just a feeling I have.