HAL TEJAS ; INDIA'S INDIGENOUS 4.5 GENERATION FIGHTER

HAL TEJAS: FLYING DAGGER OF 

INDIAN AIR FORCE (IAF)

 

*INTRODUCTION: 

The HAL Tejas is a light combat aircraft designed by aeronautics development agency and manufactured by Indian firm named Hindustan aeronautics limited. the LCA Tejas is the Indian defense program in which a light combat aircraft is to be developed itself by INDIA. The Tejas aircraft is single seated single engine multirole fighter aircraft. the programme was started to develop a light fighter for the defense use of Indian navy and Indian air force. the program was started in 1980 to replace the mig-21 fleet. the programme was officially given name as Tejas in 2003 by the current prime minister of INDIA named Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji.

 

Tejas is the second super sonic aircraft programme of INDIA after HAL marut. Tejas is a 4.5 generation fighter and the top in the list of the light fighter programme category. The HAL Tejas programme design has tail-less compound delta wing configuration with a single dorsal fin which provides the high maneuverability .it is integrated with modern AESA radar, relaxed stability, fly by wire control system, integrated digital avionics system and much more. there are 8 hardpoints to carry the missiles (4 on each delta wing).it is smallest and lightest in its category.

Tejas mk-1 the upgraded variant of HAL Tejas is going under its flight test and it is now on the way for getting final operational clearance. As per the media reports the trials for the mk-1 variant is facing delays so IAF has decides to take the control from the HAL (Hindustan aeronautics limited) to him. Now the testing is done by the IAF testing pilots itself. To fulfill the requirement of IAF (Indian air force) the HAL is now ties up with the private firms to boost the production of Tejas. according to current stats only 6 of the Tejas aircrafts are manufactured in a year, but after tying up it get a jerk and production will boost up to 12+ aircrafts per year. the IAF has placed order for the 200 fighter aircrafts and 20 twin seater trainer aircrafts. The Indian navy also requires 40 naval variants of Tejas upgraded aircrafts which can be capable on landing on aircraft carrier ins Vishakhapatnam (the beast). Indian navy is also working with it’s second aircraft carrier named INS Vishal which can be inducted into Indian navy in year 2025.the first Tejas IAF unit, squadron no-45 named as flying daggers is formed on July ,1 ,2016 with two aircrafts stationed at Bangalore air force station. the Tejas is manufactured with 59.7% indigenous content and the rest of the parts are imported from the Israel, France, and other partners of the world. The HAL is working on to make the aircraft fully indigenous.

 

*SPECIFICATIONS: -

·   GENERAL CONFIGURATION

·      Payload-3,500kg

·      Length-13.20 meters

·      Wingspan-8.20 meters

·      Height-4.40 meters

·      Wing area-38.4 meter -square

·      Empty weight-6,560 kg

·      Max. takeoff weight-13,500 kg

·      Internal fuel capacity-2,458 kg

·      External fuel capacity-contains on fuel refueling system

·      Powerplant-1*general electric f404-ge—in20 turbofan

·      Dry thrust-53.9 Kn

·      Afterburner thrust-89.8 Kn

·      Crew- 1crew (for fighter) ;2 crew (for trainer aircrafts)

 

 

*PERFORMANCE

·       Max speed- 1.8 Mach (2,205 km/hr.), for IOC version 1.6 Mach (2,000km/hr.)

·      Range- 850 km

·      Combat radius- 500 km

·      Ferry range- 1,750 km

·      Service ceiling- 16,000m

·      Wing loading- 255 kg/meter square

·      Thrust/weight- 0.96

·      Gravity- +8/-3.5G

 

  Armaments

·      Guns- 1*mounted 23mm twin-barrel gsh-23 cannon with 220 rounds of ammunition.

·      Hardpoints- 8(1*beneath the port-side intake trunk for targeting pods, 6*wing, and 1*fuselage) with a capacity of 3,500 kg external fuel and ordnance and provisions to carry combinations of:

·      Rockets: s-8 rocket pods

·      Missiles: -

a. air-to-air missiles

1. derby

2. phyton-5

3. r-73

b. air-to-surface missiles

1. kh-59

2. DRDO anti-radiation missile

c. anti-ship missiles

1. kh-31

2. kh-35

·      Bombs: -

1. laser-guided bombs

2. glide bombs

3. cluster weapons

·      Others: -

1.  Drop tanks for ferry flight/extended range/loitering time

2.  LITENING GR4 targeting pod.

 

·      Avionics: - hybrid version of Israel’s elta em/m-2032 multi-mode fire control radar.

 

 

DEVELOPMENT: -

 Starting In the starting year of 1969 Indian govt. accepted the recommendation by aeronautics committee that HAL (Hindustan aeronautics limited) should design and develop a fighter around a proven engine. Based on a ‘tactical air support aircraft’ asr marked similar for the marut, HAL completed the design studies in 1975, but the project feels through due to the inability to procure the desired ‘proven engine’ for a foreign manufacturer and the IAF requirement for an air superiority fighter with secondary air support and interdiction capability remains unfilled.

 In 1983, IAF realize the need for an Indian combat aircraft for two primary purposes. the principal and the goal were to replace the fleet of aged aircrafts named mig-21.the other main objective of this LCA programme was to advancement in Indian aerospace industry.

 In 1984, the Indian govt. chose to establish the aeronautics development agency (ADA) to manage the LCA programme. while the Tejas has described as the product of Hindustan aeronautics limited (HAL), responsibility for its development belongs to ADA, a national consortium of over 100 defense laboratories, industrial organizations, and academic institutions with HAL be the premium contractor. the govt. self-rely policy on LCA programme faces three major challenges: -the fly-by-wire(FBW)flight control system(FCS), multi-mode pulse-doppler radar and after burning turbofan engine.

 The IAF air staff requirement for the LCA programme were not finalized till 1985.this delay rendered moot of original schedule from 1990 to 1995. however, ADA also gave time to the R & S and industrial resources, recruit personals, create infrastructure, and to gain a clearer perspective of which advance technologies could develop locally and which would need to be imported.

INDIA need consultants for the design from the Dassault- Breguet and top of 30 flight engineers reported to have a flown to INDIA to act as technical advisor, in exchange of $ 100 million, this phase was completed in 1988.     

   

PROTOTYPES: -

In March 2005, the IAF placed order for the 20 aircrafts, with similar purchase of another 20 aircrafts for other variant. All 40 aircrafts to be equipped with IN20 engine .in December2006, a 14-member “LCA” induction team was formed at Bangalore to prepare the Tejas service and assist with its induction into service.

On 25 April 2007, the first limited serious production Tejas formed for its maiden flight, achieving a speed of 1.1 mach. the Tejas completed 1000 flights and 530 hours of flying testing till end of January 2009.in 2009, a Tejas achieved a speed over 1,350 kilometers per hour during sea level flight trails from ins Hansa, goa.

In December 2009, the govt. sanctioned 8,000 crore rupees to begin production of fighters for IAF and Indian navy. the Indian navy has a requirement of 50 Tejas naval version and first prototype, NP-1 was rolled out in July 2010.IAF ordered 20 additional Tejas fighters after the defense acquisition council cleared the plan.in December 2014, the LCA navy successfully conducted ski-jump trails at SBTF goa. the navy variant has a special flight control law mode which allows hand free take off relieving the pilot workload, as the aircraft leaps from the ramp and automatically puts the aircraft in ascending trajectory.

Out of 35 avionics major avionics components and line-replaceable units, only three involve foreign systems. these are the multi-function displays (MFDs)by sextant (France) and elbit (Israel), the helmet mounted display and sight cueing system by elbit, as the laser pod supplied by Rafael (Israel). production aircrafts are expected to be MFDs from Indian suppliers. a few important items of equipment (such as the martin-baker ejection seat) have been imported.as a consequence of the embargo imposed on INDIA after its nuclear weapon tests in May 1998, many items originally planned to be imported were instead developed locally; these sanctions contribute to prolong delays suffered by LCA.

 

 VARIENTS: -

        TEJAS MK1-single -seat operational variant for IAF.

       TEJAS TRAINER- two-seat operational conversion trainer for IAF.

    TEJAS MK-1A – HAL is now working on development on this variant which will be equipped with AESA radar and electro-optic electronic warfare(EW) sensor suite .it also incorporate with weight reduction along with easier service maintainability which will thus the downtime of each aircraft.it will also have mid-air refueling probe to enhance its flight timings and endurance. the timeline for this variant is set up on 2017.on October 2015, it was reported that 100 Tejas aircrafts will be equipped with an improvement version of the EL/M-2052 AESA radar being developed by elta and HAL. On 20 December 2017, IAF initiated a tender to buy 83 Mk 1A worth 33,200 crores from HAL. However, with HAL quoting a price sustainability higher than the Mk 1, the defense minister Nirmala sitaraman announced in July 2018 that a committee to look into the cost of Mk 1A, along with other products manufactured by defense public sector undertakings. the committee headed by defense ministry director of costs, has been given 60 days’ time to review the cost of Mk1A.

 

     TEJAS MK-1 NAVY – single seat prototypes are being developed which are powered by F404 engines are used for initial testing. The naval variant of Tejas successfully completed testing in goa during which the short take off from shore-based test facility were carried out along with hot refueling. the flight test from the aircraft is overweight for carried operations.

 

      TEJAS TRAINER IN – two-seater operational conversion trainer for Indian navy.

 

    TEJAS MK- 2 navy – twin seater and single seater carrier capable variants for Indian navy.it will be equipped for carrier operation with ski-jump take-off and arrest landing .it will include strengthened airframe and landing gear and drooped nose for better cockpit vision.

 

     TEJAS MK-2: - the Tejas mk-2 is to feature the more powerful general electric F414-GE-INS6 engine with 98 Kn of thrust. The ministry of defense has sanctioned us$542.44 million (2,431 crores) for ADA to develop the IAF’s Tejas MK 2 varient.in December 2008, the IAF committed to procuring an initial 105 Tejas MK 2s. the Mk-2 variant is procured with modern electronic warfare suite which is being jointly developed with Israel. This is to have anew glass cockpit with larger 8*12-inch displays. the Mk-2 variant will have some 25-30 percent commonality in parts with Mk-1 variant. the Mk-2 is scheduled for 2018 but it may be delayed due to installation of GE404 engines.in august 2015, the Indian defense ministry stated that first flight is likely to be in 2019 with an entry into service in 2022.according to the chairmen of DRDO S. Christopher in 2018, the IAF has committed to procuring 201 Tejas Mk 2 aircraft.

*CURRENT USERS: -

Currently the Indian air force is operating the Tejas variants such as Tejas, Tejas Mk, Tejas Mk-1a and the trainers are to be inducted soon. The Mk-1 variant is delaying due some of its left tests. after onwards of F.O.C the fighter is ready to be inducted. The Indian navy has also placed order for Tejas aircrafts and waiting for its delivery. After onwards Indian navy also be another user of the Tejas aircraft.   

 

 

*LATEST UPDATE-

1. TEJAS ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT- The Tejas programme a rare distinction by completing 4000 successful test flights today. All the flight tests and aircrafts instrumentation related activities are planned, coordinated, and executed by the national test flight center (NFCT), ADA in Bengaluru. NFCT has experienced Indian air force and Indian navy test pilots and flight test engineers for telemetering the regular test flying activities in real time in an extremely controlled environment.

 

2. LCA TEJAS LSP-7 FIRES DERBY BVR MISSILE THE MISSILE ACHIEVES FULL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY LEADING TO IMPORTANT ELEMENT FOR FOC OF TEJAS: - Tejas successfully fires derby BVR missile from the western coast of the country while taking off from ins Hansa, goa as final step towards certifying BVR. This was a significant trial where the above specified missile will now have the full operational capability.