Primeiro TEJAS entra ao serviço da IAF

[MARCOS RIBEIRO]

O tejas naval poderia ser uma opção futura ao a-4M da MB??

[cabeça de martelo]

Vocês não gostam mesmo nada da vossa Marinha...

[joao fernando]

TEJAS vergonha na cara menino

[NovaTO]

Deu no Cavok:

HAL TEJAS deverá estar pronto no final de 2014
Publicado em 31/05/2013 por Giordani em Militar, Tecnologia
Os Tejas obteve sua IOC (initial operating clearance) no início de 2011, mas os problemas persistentes com o programa atrasaram a FOC da aeronave.

Os Tejas obteve sua IOC (initial operating clearance) no início de 2011, mas os problemas persistentes com o programa atrasaram a FOC da aeronave.

O ministro da defesa Índiana, AK Antony, acredita que o caça HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) Tejas Mk I deverá alcançar a FOC (final operational clearance) na força aérea indiana até o final de 2014.

O ministro expressou sua confiança no programa durante um evento de premiação para a Pesquisa de Defesa e Desenvolvimento da Organização, que projetou o caça Tejas. Ele pediu que o DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization), a força aérea e a HAL para “colocarem suas energias em conjunto de forma a alcançar este objetivo”.

Apesar das dúvidas sobre a Índia no desenvolvimento de sistemas de armas, ele destacou a necessidade de uma indústria de defesa “caseira”.

“Nossa experiência tem sido que os fornecedores estrangeiros estão relutantes em transferir partes com tecnologias críticas”, relatou o ministro. “Há atrasos no fornecimento de peças essenciais. Há aumentos de preços exorbitantes. Não podemos ser eternamente dependente de plataformas e equipamentos estrangeiros.”

Os Tejas obteve sua IOC (initial operating clearance) no início de 2011, mas os problemas persistentes com o programa atrasaram a FOC da aeronave.

No início de 2013, New Delhi concluído um acordo para 99 motores General Electric F414, para uso no melhorado Tejas MK II – o Tejas Mk I usa o F404, menos potente. O F414 também vai ser usado na variante naval planejada.

TRADUÇÃO – CAVOK

NOTA DO EDITOR: “Nossa experiência tem sido que os fornecedores estrangeiros estão relutantes em transferir partes com tecnologias críticas…Há atrasos no fornecimento de peças essenciais. Há aumentos de preços exorbitantes. Não podemos ser eternamente dependente de plataformas e equipamentos estrangeiros.” – Alguém ainda acredita em Transferência de Tecnologia?

[]'s

[Justin Case]

Amigos,

Sobre a nota do editor, eu acredito em transferência de tecnologia.
Dá certo e anda bem quando o resultado é vantajoso para as duas partes. Sim, isso é possível. É o tal do ganha-ganha que toda pós-graduação tenta fazer com que os brasileiros entendam. Um não precisa se dar mal para que outro tenha seu ganho.
Quem ainda reluta em acreditar, acho que deveria programar uma visita à AEL e à Embraer.
Quem não acredita de jeito nenhum, sugiro que abandone a escola e tente aprender tudo sozinho, começando por fazer fogo com pedra e reinventando a roda.
Esse pessoal que já nasceu na era do supermercado dá trabalho. Acha que o melhor é pegar a lista de compras e sair por aí perguntando preço.
Abraços,

Justin

[Penguin]

Amigos,

Sobre a nota do editor, eu acredito em transferência de tecnologia.
Dá certo e anda bem quando o resultado é vantajoso para as duas partes. Sim, isso é possível. É o tal do ganha-ganha que toda pós-graduação tenta fazer com que os brasileiros entendam. Um não precisa se dar mal para que outro tenha seu ganho.
Quem ainda reluta em acreditar, acho que deveria programar uma visita à AEL e à Embraer.
Quem não acredita de jeito nenhum, sugiro que abandone a escola e tente aprender tudo sozinho, começando por fazer fogo com pedra e reinventando a roda.
Esse pessoal que já nasceu na era do supermercado dá trabalho. Acha que o melhor é pegar a lista de compras e sair por aí perguntando preço.
Abraços,

Justin

Justin,

Nem toda tecnologia e conhecimentos necessários para fabricar uma caça avançado estão a venda.
Ou se investe pesado para desenvolver capacidades internas ou se ficará sempre na dependência de um fornecedor externo. E pior, como se queixou o Ministro da Defesa indiano, fica-se sujeito a dificuldades inclusive para compra de certos componentes.

Os indianos estão tentando adquirir tecnologias por todas as vias, como deve ser: desenvolvimento interno, aquisição de tecnologia diretamente e aquisição de tecnologia através de offsets. Devem também, como a China e outros, utilizar de espionagem e engenharia reversa.

[]s

[Justin Case]

Amigos,

Sobre a nota do editor, eu acredito em transferência de tecnologia.
Dá certo e anda bem quando o resultado é vantajoso para as duas partes. Sim, isso é possível. É o tal do ganha-ganha que toda pós-graduação tenta fazer com que os brasileiros entendam. Um não precisa se dar mal para que outro tenha seu ganho.
Quem ainda reluta em acreditar, acho que deveria programar uma visita à AEL e à Embraer.
Quem não acredita de jeito nenhum, sugiro que abandone a escola e tente aprender tudo sozinho, começando por fazer fogo com pedra e reinventando a roda.
Esse pessoal que já nasceu na era do supermercado dá trabalho. Acha que o melhor é pegar a lista de compras e sair por aí perguntando preço.
Abraços,

Justin

Justin,

Nem toda tecnologia e conhecimentos necessários para fabricar uma caça avançado estão a venda.
Ou se investe pesado para desenvolver capacidades internas ou se ficará sempre na dependência de um fornecedor externo. E pior, como se queixou o Ministro da Defesa indiano, fica-se sujeito a dificuldades inclusive para compra de certos componentes.

Os indianos estão tentando adquirir tecnologias por todas as vias, como deve ser: desenvolvimento interno, aquisição de tecnologia diretamente e aquisição de tecnologia através de offsets. Devem também, como a China e outros, utilizar de espionagem e engenharia reversa.

[]s

Penguin, boa tarde.

Há muitos exemplos de parcerias entre empresas, onde estas compartilham investimentos, tecnologias, mercados.
Elas fazem isto não porque gostam, mas porque dá resultado, conseguem assim competir e vencer no mercado.
Só não se interessa nesse tipo de parceria quem não precisa, quem tem mercado cativo e imenso, como o americano, por exemplo.
Mas, se for para acabar com um emergente ou concorrente, quem sabe se não vale a pena caminhar nessa direção? Engolir concorrentes menores não é bem uma parceria, mas pode dar bons resultados.
Abraço,

Justin

[P44]

Final Operational Clearance for LCA TEJAS Next Year: Antony


(Source: Press Information Bureau India; issued May 29, 2013)



The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today expressed optimism that the country’s indigenously developed fighter aircraft - LCA Tejas - will get Final Operational Clearance of the Indian Air Force by the end of next year. Speaking at the Annual Awards Functions of DRDO here, he said, all stakeholders including the DRDO, IAF and HAL must put their energy together in a focused manner to achieve this objective.

Shri Antony said countries that depend on imported arsenals cannot become great nation. Shri Antony said we continue to be the largest importer of Defence equipment. The share of indigenous content in Defence procurement is low. “Our experience has been that foreign vendors are reluctant to part with critical technologies. There are delays in the supply of essential spares. There are exorbitant price increases. The Services, too, realize that we cannot be eternally dependent on foreign equipment and platforms”, he said.

Referring to the expansions of domestic defence industry, Shri Antony said this has to be achieved through public and private sector initiatives. He said there is ample scope for joint ventures also. “All the stakeholders in the defence sector- DRDO, Armed Forces and the industry must work in tandem and develop trust and confidence in each other’s capabilities.” Cautioning against time and cost over runs in projects Shri Antony said Indian Companies must compete with global players in developing state- of- the art technologies of acceptable commercial parameters and must meet customer satisfaction.

The Minister complimented DRDO for their magnificent achievements in 2012. He referred to the first flight of Agni-V, two successful tests of our Ballistic Missile Defence programme in February and November 2012, first flight of LCA Navy, establishment of a cyber-forensics laboratory, initiation of production of NBC systems, ToT for composite armour for helicopters and investment casting of aero engine components and said these are just some of the many accomplishments.

He, however, asked the scientists not to be complacent. “The DRDO must keep its focus trained on the areas of core competence and not fritter away its energy and resources. In today’s world of cut-throat competition, the choice is very clear-‘perform, or perish’. From designing stage to the stage of final production, timelines must be strictly adhered to and satisfaction of the end user is the litmus test of achievement”, he said.

He said, the security environment in our neighbourhood; civil strife and turmoil in the Middle East; terrorism and threats to cyber security; piracy; illegal seabed mining in Indian Ocean and space-based threats present complex challenges to our defence capabilities. These require both conventional, as well as latest technological responses.

Expressing happiness the Minister said, it is heartening to note that a large number of major systems are under production and the cumulative production value of all the DRDO developed systems has crossed Rs. 1,55,000 crore. ‘I am sure in the coming years, this figure will go even higher. DRDO must make relentless efforts to accelerate the pace of self- reliance’, he further said.

The function was attended among others by the Minister of State for Defence, Shri Jitendra Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi and Director General DRDO Dr. VK Saraswat.

On the occasion, Shri Antony gave away DRDO Awards to several scientists, technologists and DRDO laboratories in fourteen categories for their outstanding contributions in different areas.

-ends-

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... -2014.html

[cabeça de martelo]

MMRCA Misgivings Unfounded rebuttal to "Why Rafale is a Big Mistake"

The founders of our Constitution gave us the freedom of speech, but they possibly didn’t realise that there would be something called a Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) of the IAF that would be so set upon by some armchair critics as to blur the fine line between free speech and misinformation. Bharat Karnad’s “Why Rafale is a Big Mistake” (TNIE, July 25) does just that, besides being full of innuendos and disinformation. To be sure, this writer is just an academic now but one who spent the better part of three decades smelling burnt aviation turbine fuel on the flight line, including flight testing aircraft, and in a senior position pushing tri-service procurement proposals in HQ Integrated Defence Staff.It would be good to give the readers of this newspaper a low-down on how the MMRCA requirement came about. The IAF, around the turn of the century, after carrying out a threat assessment found the need for a capability to be acquired to fill a void in its combat fleet to address the conflict spectrum that India was likely to face. Accordingly, a requirement for 126 Mirage 2000-5 aircraft (improved version of Mirage 2000) was projected to the government in 2000. The Mirages had performed very creditably in the Kargil conflict and since a drawdown in fleet strength was looming due to obsolescence of the MiG-21s and ground attack fleet, it was felt that the improved version of the Mirage would fit in as a replacement. But post-Kargil, the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) came into vogue in 2002 and a multi-vendor process (as mandated by the DPP) commenced with revised Qualitative Requirements (QRs). The Request for Proposal for the almost $10.5 billion project was sent in 2007 to all six aircraft manufacturers who make this class of aircraft, other than China, who then applied in the mandated two-bid format, with each vendor giving a technical bid and a commercial bid at the same time; it is important to understand this as it implies that the price bid of a company got fixed in dollar/Euro terms at that point. As per the DPP, initially only the technical bids are opened and the equipment put through an evaluation process which includes a field evaluation trial. This technical evaluation throws up vendors who meet the QRs that had been projected and only their commercial bids are opened and assessed to select the winner.
The MMRCA evaluation followed the DPP to the ‘t’ with not a whiff of any controversy, and after very rigorous ground and flight evaluations, two vendors qualified. The evaluation of their commercial bids saw the selection of the French Rafale in 2011. An attempt is now being made to make a textbook evaluation and selection process mired in controversy of performance criteria (QRs), costs, and surprisingly a corruption allegation.
That the cost of the project in rupee terms (and not dollar value) would increase is a no-brainer as more than three years have elapsed in decision-making and the rupee value has depreciated. Any further delay will jack it up further but that would have happened with whichever aircraft had met the criteria. What Karnad is now questioning is the force composition of the IAF arrived at by professional planners and, without being an air power expert himself, suggesting a new mix of “..Tejas Mk I for short range air defence, Tejas MkII as MMRCA and the Su-50 PAK FA as fifth generation fighter”. This is a perfect example of the ignorant trying to drive defence force structuring as the yet-to-be inducted Tejas Mk I is unsuitable for IAF operational requirements (and hence would limited to only two squadrons) and Tejas Mk II would have less than one-third the flight range and armament capability of the MMRCA and just qualify to be a MiG 21 replacement. Why the use of future tense? Because Tejas Mk II is still on DRDO’s drawing board and would NOT enter squadron service before 2020-22, just like the fifth generation fighter (which would be 2025 or later). But the requirement is literally now, as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (15th Lok Sabha) itself despairingly noted that the IAF strength was down to 34 squadrons (instead of the sanctioned 42) and reducing further, thus requiring new timely acquisitions.
It is most unprofessional to link defence acquisitions of one country with the threat perception of another as Karnad has done and it is downright spiteful for doubting the competence of test pilots and test engineers of the IAF by saying that the Brazilians had doubts about Rafale’s radar and its head-up display. Do Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore and Morocco (cited by Karnad as having rejected the Rafale) have two nuclear armed nations as adversaries? Have these nations ever gone to war with their neighbours in the past six decades? Costs, albeit important, don’t decide acquisitions; it is the capability one desires that is the driving factor and it’s our misfortune that HAL has not delivered this to the nation. The IAF just looks at getting the right product to safeguard the national skies, as it is its duty to do so. The IAF is accountable to the nation if it does not perform; pray, what is the responsibility attached to Karnad for his alternative force composition suggestion for the IAF?
The visit of the French foreign minister and his supposed canvassing for the Rafale, that Karnad finds fault with, is something that any politician would do for his country; hopefully, there would come a day when the Indian foreign minister would do the same for a HAL-produced aircraft, Inshallah! Till then, let the professionals do their job of recommending what is good for the defence of the nation. Please trust someone. In the case of the IAF, it is a crack team of test pilots and test engineers on whom the country has spent a fortune to train. Let armchair critics not derail a capability provider that successive IAF chiefs have urged the government to procure. This trend to doubt recommendations of service chiefs is dangerous and is conspicuous by the surety of it being raised each time a big-ticket item of any of the three services is close to fruition. Disagreements based on professionally sound arguments are always welcome—but they come with a caveat in matters of national security. The naysayers must be held responsible, too. It is only right that readers of this newspaper are made wise accordingly.
The writer, a retired Air Vice Marshal, is a distinguished fellow at Centre for Air Power Studies.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/columns ... 359756.ece

[kirk]

Justin,

Nem toda tecnologia e conhecimentos necessários para fabricar uma caça avançado estão a venda.
Ou se investe pesado para desenvolver capacidades internas ou se ficará sempre na dependência de um fornecedor externo. E pior, como se queixou o Ministro da Defesa indiano, fica-se sujeito a dificuldades inclusive para compra de certos componentes.

Os indianos estão tentando adquirir tecnologias por todas as vias, como deve ser: desenvolvimento interno, aquisição de tecnologia diretamente e aquisição de tecnologia através de offsets. Devem também, como a China e outros, utilizar de espionagem e engenharia reversa.

[]s

Penguin, boa tarde.

Há muitos exemplos de parcerias entre empresas, onde estas compartilham investimentos, tecnologias, mercados.
Elas fazem isto não porque gostam, mas porque dá resultado, conseguem assim competir e vencer no mercado.
Só não se interessa nesse tipo de parceria quem não precisa, quem tem mercado cativo e imenso, como o americano, por exemplo.
Mas, se for para acabar com um emergente ou concorrente, quem sabe se não vale a pena caminhar nessa direção? Engolir concorrentes menores não é bem uma parceria, mas pode dar bons resultados.
Abraço,

Justin

Se me permitem um pitaco !

Concordo que ToT somente ocorre quando há INTERE$$E de ambos, quem transfere e de quem recebe, em qualquer outra circunstância não há de fato, em minha opinião, real transferência de conhecimento ou capacitação para itens sensíveis.

Não há possibilidade de se pagar por isso, simplesmente porque não está a venda, um bom exemplo disso é o Kavery, onde a Índia gastou os "Tufo$" com a Safran/Snecma e foram literalmente cozinhados por 15/20 anos e nada de kavery voar ...

A Índia, na minha opinião, erra na estratégia ao querer nacionalizar TUDO de uma vez só, esquece dos passos necessários ... querer nacionalizar tudo é nobre, mas há que se aprender uma coisa por vez, cada passo tem seu tempo de maturação, consolidar cada etapa do conhecimento, criar universidades, aprimorar o contúdo da tecnologia recebida, para gerar frutos e recursos para o próximo passo ... e fabricação sob licença definitivamente não agrega absolutamente nada ao conhecimento ... isso é histórico ... nem um único país que fabricou sob licença se tornou fabricante quando manteve-se nesse limite.

Só há ToT, se for bom pra todos os envolvidos, financeiramente falando, além claro, de capacidade de absorção.

Sds
kirk

[Penguin]

Govt to Order 100 Tejas Aircraft for IAF
(Source: Business Today India; published December 1, 2015)
By Sandeep Unnithan
NEW DELHI --- Decks have been cleared for the country's largest ever defence order, over RS 2 trillion for 100 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

At a crucial November 27 governing body meeting of the DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) that included manufacturers Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the IAF brought down a wishlist of 57 outstanding maintenance issues with the aircraft down to 43, all of which can be executed by ADA and HAL without changing the aircraft design.

"We are now hopeful of an order for 100 Mark 1-As before the end of the current financial year," DRDO chief Dr S Christopher told Mail Today. The meeting of the governing council headed by Dr Christopher follows the September 23 signing of new aircraft specifications between the four key stakeholders in the three-decade old LCA project-the IAF, DRDO, MoD and HAL. The agreement has launched the struggling LCA Tejas project on a new trajectory. Designs of the Mark-1A will be complete by 2017 and the modified aircraft could enter production beginning 2019.

HAL is currently supplying the IAF with 20 variants of the basic LCA Tejas. The DRDO chief says the Mark 1-A Tejas will address other shortcomings indicated by the IAF like the lack of an Active Electronically Scanned Array or AESA radar and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) which will be carried on a pod instead of within the fuselage.

The modified Mark 1-A was proposed by HAL this year as a stop gap because the Mark 2, with uprated GE-414 engines and a lengthened fuselage, will not be ready for induction before 2024.

"Re-positioning of major (aircraft) aggregates for the ease of maintenance has nullified the requirement to stretch the fuselage that would have increased aerodynamic drag to such levels as to require the more powerful F-414 engine. This negates the requirement to have LCA Mk2 for the IAF," says Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retired) of the Centre for Air Power Studies. Significantly, HAL has assured the IAF that it will double production capacity in its Bengaluru facility to roll out 16 aircraft each year.

The Mark 1-A is meant to arrest the alarming shortfall in the IAF's fighter squadron fleet from a sanctioned strength of 39.5 squadrons to the present 35 squadrons. These squadrons are projected to further dip by 2022 when over 200 MiG-21 and MiG-27s are phased out.

The ADA is now designing the LCA's Mark 2 variant only for the Indian Navy and the design will be ready by 2022. The agency also hopes to complete designs of a generation 4.5 Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft by 2022.

[Penguin]

Govt to Order 100 Tejas Aircraft for IAF
(Source: Business Today India; published December 1, 2015)
By Sandeep Unnithan
NEW DELHI --- Decks have been cleared for the country's largest ever defence order, over RS 2 trillion for 100 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

At a crucial November 27 governing body meeting of the DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) that included manufacturers Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the IAF brought down a wishlist of 57 outstanding maintenance issues with the aircraft down to 43, all of which can be executed by ADA and HAL without changing the aircraft design.

"We are now hopeful of an order for 100 Mark 1-As before the end of the current financial year," DRDO chief Dr S Christopher told Mail Today. The meeting of the governing council headed by Dr Christopher follows the September 23 signing of new aircraft specifications between the four key stakeholders in the three-decade old LCA project-the IAF, DRDO, MoD and HAL. The agreement has launched the struggling LCA Tejas project on a new trajectory. Designs of the Mark-1A will be complete by 2017 and the modified aircraft could enter production beginning 2019.

HAL is currently supplying the IAF with 20 variants of the basic LCA Tejas. The DRDO chief says the Mark 1-A Tejas will address other shortcomings indicated by the IAF like the lack of an Active Electronically Scanned Array or AESA radar and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) which will be carried on a pod instead of within the fuselage.

The modified Mark 1-A was proposed by HAL this year as a stop gap because the Mark 2, with uprated GE-414 engines and a lengthened fuselage, will not be ready for induction before 2024.

"Re-positioning of major (aircraft) aggregates for the ease of maintenance has nullified the requirement to stretch the fuselage that would have increased aerodynamic drag to such levels as to require the more powerful F-414 engine. This negates the requirement to have LCA Mk2 for the IAF," says Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retired) of the Centre for Air Power Studies. Significantly, HAL has assured the IAF that it will double production capacity in its Bengaluru facility to roll out 16 aircraft each year.

The Mark 1-A is meant to arrest the alarming shortfall in the IAF's fighter squadron fleet from a sanctioned strength of 39.5 squadrons to the present 35 squadrons. These squadrons are projected to further dip by 2022 when over 200 MiG-21 and MiG-27s are phased out.

The ADA is now designing the LCA's Mark 2 variant only for the Indian Navy and the design will be ready by 2022. The agency also hopes to complete designs of a generation 4.5 Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft by 2022.

Interessante como tem caças de 4a geração sendo ainda adquirido...

Data de entregas:

India:
Tejas 1A - 2019
Tejas 2A- 2024
Rafale - o contrato ainda vai ser assinado. A entrega deve ocorrer +/- 36 meses depois.

Paquistão
F-16 - o contrato está sendo negociado. A entrega deve ocorrer +/- 36 meses depois.

Suécia
Gripen E - 2019

Brasil
Gripen E/F - 2019

França
Ainda tem uns 60 Rafales a serem recebidos para completar os 180 já encomendados. Essas entregas só se completarão depois de 2020.

Kuwait
Typhoon - 2019 (http://www.defensenews.com/story/defens ... /72080072/)

Catar
Rafale - 2018 (http://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/news/740206)

Finlândia
Concorrência aberta com caças de 4G e o F-35

Canadá
Concorrência reaberta com caças de 4G e o F-35

Bélgica
Concorrência em breve

[vplemes]

Quando você acha que já ouviu tudo de ruim sobre essa caça, basta dar uma googlada que aparece algo de novo. Sei que é maldade, mas não consegui segurar o riso quando imaginei a cena. Depois falam que o F-22 tem medo de chuva. rsrs

http://m.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/teja ... XRlrO.html

Tejas grounded in Bhopal, AAI officials remain mum
Mujeeb Faruqui, Hindustan Times, Bhopal| Updated: Aug 24, 2016 09:26 IST

Raja Bhoj airport crew cover IAF fighter jet Tejas’ cockpit with two layers of tarpaulin raising suspicion of leakage on Tuesday. (Mujeeb Faruqui//HT photo)

It was an unusual sight at Raja Bhoj airport in Bhopal on Tuesday afternoon, when the ground staff rushed in panic to cover the cockpit of a Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) apparently to prevent water leakage into the plane.

The fighter jet – one of the first two Tejas aircraft that were handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) for formation of the new ‘Flying Daggers 45’ squadron – was on its way from Pathankot to Bangalore, and landed at the Bhopal airport at 11:30 am for re-fuelling.

However, it did not take off as it started raining, and was towed to the state hanger at 4.21 pm. An airforce official told HT that the light combat aircraft was grounded because of bad weather.


Rain started minutes after the aircraft’s landing in Bhopal. The airport ground staff and some IAF men immediately rushed to the aircraft and tried to cover the cockpit with a yellow tarpaulin.

When the rain stopped, the two pilots of the high-profile LCA stood near the aircraft and ensured that the cockpit canopy was dried properly. But they looked nervous as it suddenly started raining heavily.

The two pilots insisted on another layer of tarpaulin to cover the cockpit. Later, another dark green tarpaulin was placed over it, as everyone had to ensure proper safety of the cockpit.

Photographers were not allowed to enter the airport to click photos of the LCA, which was a matter of “unparalleled pride and happiness” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s on the day of its induction.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials refused to comment on the grounding of the LCA. “We don’t know. Only the IAF officials can reply to your questions,” an AAI official said.

[Penguin]

Esses são os números do mundo real:
83 Tejas => USD 7,5 bilhões
1 Tejas nesse contrato => USD 90,36 milhões

NEW DELHI ORDERS 83 HAL TEJAS LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT
Daily News, Nov 7, 2016
http://quwa.org/2016/11/07/new-delhi-or ... -aircraft/

The Government of India has recently issued an order for 83 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas lightweight multi-role fighters, 15 HAL Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), and 494 T-90 main battle tanks.

The total value of the acquisition will amount to roughly $10 billion U.S. (Rs. 67,000 crore). NDTV reported that the HAL Tejas order will cost $7.5 billion, the T-90s will cost $2.02 billion, and the LCHs $436 million.

[P44]

Navy rejects Tejas, begins global search
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI: JANUARY 28, 2017 00:25 IST
UPDATED: JANUARY 28, 2017 00:29 IST

After declaring the naval version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas unfit for operating from aircraft carriers in its “present form,” the Indian Navy has launched a global hunt for a carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft.

“The Defence Ministry intends to procure approximately 57 Multi-Role Carrier-Borne Fighters [MRCBF] for the Navy,” the Navy stated in the Request for Information (RFI) dated January 17.

Last month, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said the “present LCA does not meet the carrier capability required by the Navy.” He said the service would continue to support its development but “at the same time we will seek aircraft elsewhere which can operate on the aircraft carrier.”

Mig-29K fighters in use


The Navy currently operates Russian Mig-29K twin engine fighters from the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. These will also fly from the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant once it enters service. The Navy has procured 45 Mig-29Ks in two batches.

The Navy does not intend to procure more Mig-29s given its troubled history.

While the RFI does not specify a single or twin engine aircraft, Navy officials too had said in the past that they would need heavier and more capable aircraft for a diverse set of operations.

The RFI says the aircraft are “intended as day-and-night capable, all-weather, multi-role, deck-based combat aircraft which can be used for air defence, air-to-surface operations, Buddy refuelling, reconnaissance etc from IN aircraft carriers.”

The IAC-II which is currently at the design stage can handle twin engine, heavy aircraft, greatly extending the area of operations.

This narrows down the selection to two aircraft now available in the global market — Boeing’s F-18 Super Hornet and Dassault Rafale, 36 of which the Indian Air Force has contracted. The F-35 fifth generation aircraft of the U.S. is also an option.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/N ... 105331.ece