The defence ministry signed three contracts worth ₹19,600 crore with domestic shipyards for 11 next-generation offshore patrol vessels and six next-generation missile vessels, and another one worth ₹1,700 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for a fire control system to boost the navy’s capabilities.

It also signed a ₹8,160-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for improved Akash surface-to-air missiles for the army, and another one worth ₹990 crore with BEL for Swathi weapon locating radars, also for the army.

The sixth contract of the day was signed with BrahMos Aerospace for next-generation maritime mobile coastal batteries (long range) and BrahMos missiles for ₹1,700 crore.

The offshore patrol vessels are being bought from Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, for ₹9,781 crore, while the missile vessels will be supplied by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for ₹9,805 crore.

The latest deals come a day after the ministry signed three contracts worth ₹5,400 crore for an advanced communication satellite, GSAT 7B, for the army, an automated air defence control and reporting system for the army’s air defence units, and Sarang electronic support measure systems for navy helicopters.

The ministry has signed contracts worth almost ₹52,000 crore (including the deals signed on Thursday) in the last four weeks for indigenous military hardware, including basic trainer aircraft, cadet training ships, medium-power radars, radar warning receivers and Dornier aircraft.

“Of the 11 offshore patrol vessels, seven will be indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by GSL and four by GRSE. The delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026…and the missile vessels from March 2027,” the ministry said in a statement.

It elaborated on the capabilities the platforms ships will bring to the navy.

The offshore patrol vessels will enable the navy to maintain its combat capability and meet various operational requirements including anti-piracy, counter-infiltration, anti-poaching, anti-trafficking, non-combatant evacuation operations, and search and rescue.

The construction of these ships will generate an employment of 110 lakh man-days over seven-and-a-half years, the ministry said.

The heavily-armed missile vessels will come with stealth, high speed and offensive capability, and their primary role will be to provide offensive capability against enemy warships and land targets.

“These ships will be capable of conducting maritime strike operations, anti-surface warfare operations and would be a potent instrument of sea denial for enemy ships especially at choke points,” the ministry said. The construction of these ships will generate an employment of 45 lakh man-days over nine years.

The contract with BDL for improved Akash weapon system (AWS) is for the army’s Army Air Defence’s third and fourth regiments. “In order to meet aerial threats, two additional regiments of AWS with upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the northern borders (with China),” the ministry said in another statement.

“The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. It has an overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.”

On the weapon locating radars, the ministry said the system is capable of locating hostile guns, mortars and rockets, and facilitating their destruction through counter bombardment. “This will enable troops to carry out their operational tasks without any interference from the enemy and also provide them safety against enemy fire. Induction is planned to be completed in 24 months.”

The Lynx-U2 system fire control system ordered for the navy is capable of accurately tracking and engaging targets amid sea clutter as well as air/surface targets, the ministry said in a separate statement.

It will be installed on offshore patrol vessels to be built at GRSE, and GSL. This latest order for BEL will generate an employment of 200,000 man-days over the next four years, the statement added.

The post Defence ministry inks contracts for Offshore Patrol Vessels and Missile Vessels appeared first on IMR.

Unlike the Indian Air Force and the navy, the army currently does not have a dedicated satellite.

“The satellite will considerably enhance the communication capability of the army by providing mission critical beyond line-of-sight communication to troops and formations as well as weapon and airborne platforms,” the defence ministry said.

The five-tonne geostationary satellite will be developed indigenously by ISRO. The army is likely to get the satellite in 2026, the officials said.

The satellite with advanced security features will support tactical communication requirements of not only troops deployed on the ground, but also remotely piloted aircraft, air defence weapons and other mission critical and fire support platforms, the officials said.

“The dedicated satellite for the army is a long-standing need and will enhance the network centric warfare capabilities of the army, making them more secure and jam-proof. The army was so far dependent on the air force’s GSAT-7A satellite,” said Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.

The army has also carried out a detailed study of cyber and electromagnetic warfare in the Russia-Ukraine war, and established the efficacy of a reliable satellite communication system that can provide high-speed internet services to remote areas, as previously reported by HT.

India’s defence acquisition council (DAC), the government’s top weapons procurement body, had cleared the army proposal for a GSAT-7B satellite in March 2022 to sharpen its operational capabilities. The GSAT-7 series of advanced satellites built by ISRO are designed to provide communication capabilities to users over vast expanses including oceans.

Many parts and sub-assemblies and systems of the satellite will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups, the ministry said, adding that the project will generate an employment of around 300,000 man-days over the next three-and-a-half years.

The ministry also signed two other contracts worth around ₹2,400 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to sharpen the air defence capabilities of the armed forces.

The first of these, worth ₹1,982 crore, is to implement Project Akashteer, an automated air defence control and reporting system that will allow the army’s air defence units to operate in an integrated manner.

Akashteer will enable the monitoring of low-level airspace over the battle areas of the Indian Army and effectively control the ground-based air defence weapon systems, the defence ministry said.

The second contract worth ₹412 crore with BEL is for Sarang electronic support measure systems for Indian Navy helicopters.

All the three projects will provide a boost to the self-reliance campaign as they are under the most important category of acquisition for indigenisation under the defence procurement policy, or the Indian-IDDM category. IDDM stands for indigenously designed, developed and manufactured.

The post Army set to get its dedicated communications satellite by 2026 appeared first on IMR.

The biennial event which completed its 14th edition in Bengaluru witnessed the largest participation of the contingent from the United States of America for the first time ever in Aero India.

Aerobatics performed by the metal birds enthralled the onlookers who had gathered in huge numbers on the last day at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in the city. India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, light combat helicopters and light utility helicopters developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited were part of the show.

Besides, Rafale jets and Sukhoi aircrafts put up an impressive show during the event.
However, the most notable was the presence of F-35, B-1B Lancers, the F-16 and F-18 which too participated in the show.

Sorties by vintage aircrafts, aerobatics by Surya Kiran team of the IAF, which flew the Hawk aircrafts and Sarang (meaning peacock in Sanskrit) display team of the IAF using the HAL developed Dhruv helicopters left the audience spellbound.

The five-day event saw a number of seminars such as Manthan and Bandhan where deliberations were held on a range of subjects including India’s self-reliance programme, indigenous development of futuristic aerospace technology, India’s space initiatives, advancement in maritime surveillance system, investment opportunities in Karnataka.

There was a huge turnout at the exhibitions and displays by various companies during the show. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Indian Space Research Organisation, Bharat Electronics Limited, Defence Research and Development Organisation were among those who put up their stalls.

As many as 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements and nine product launches were firmed up at the Aero India that could unlock business potentials worth around Rs 80,000 crore. The MoUs included one between Hindustan Aeronautics and Safran Helicopter Engines of France for work share for formation of joint venture for design, development, manufacture and life time support of helicopter engines.

The agreements and the MoUs were formally signed at an event titled “Bandhan” ceremony that was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, top leaders of Indian defence industries and senior military officials.

“The Bandhan ceremony also witnessed the forging of 266 partnerships including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements, nine product launches and three Transfers of Technology (ToT), worth around Rs 80,000 crore,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The Bharat Electronics Ltd and Aeronautical Development Agency also inked an MoU for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The product launches at Aero India included the vertically launched short range surface-to-air missile (Bharat Dynamics Ltd).

It is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon which can be used by the Navy as a quick reaction defence against supersonic sea skimming targets such as aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The missile has a smokeless propulsion system with all-weather capability. It has a highly agile configuration with state-of-the-art electronic counter-measures features.

Another significant product launch was of the semi-active laser seeker based anti-tank guided missile developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited. The missile weighs 23 kgs with the launch tube, and can be used in different kinds of terrains to incapacitate moving and stationary targets such as tanks and infantry combat vehicles.

Another major landmark at the Aero India 2023 was the participation by Israel this year which marked 30 years of Indo-Israel defence collaboration. SIBAT, the International Defence Collaboration Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defence, is in charge of fostering defence cooperation between Israel and India. The show saw the demonstration of some defence technologies developed by Israel including Air Defence Systems, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Aerial and Ground Precise Guided Munitions, Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems, Land and Naval Solutions, Avionic Systems, Air and Missile Defence Systems.

In a major boost to indigenous defence industry, the CMD of Munitions India Limited, Ravi Kant said that the company has got orders for more than 10 lakh multi-mode grenades for Indian armed forces and over Rs 3,000 crores of orders for exports.

The 14th edition of Aero India at the Yelahanka Air Force station complex on the outskirts of Bengaluru was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 february and it saw participation of over 700 defence firms and representatives of around 100 countries.

The defence minister said that Aero India showcased to the world the ‘New Defence Sector’ of ‘New India’, which has not only grown in the last few years, but is now fully ready to walk alongside the defence sectors of leading countries.

The post Aero India 2023 Closes with 266 partnerships; Rs 8000 crores business appeared first on IMR.

BEL officials said that the MoU will help to meet India’s domestic security needs with the high-end, technological capabilities of both firms.

“With a marked increase in movement of people and goods at critical infrastructure, land borders and urban sensitive points, there is a growing requirement for screening technologies in India. To facilitate ease of doing business and enhance safety, the Indian government is investing in port and land border security,” a statement from the government-owned aerospace and defence electronics company said.

“Moreover, the requirement for industry-leading high-energy scanning technology is being driven by defence installations, which need to screen large volumes of vehicles and impose restricted entry at sensitive areas. BEL will handle front-end requirements in the market, supporting localisation of the projects. Smiths Detection will provide its state-of-the-art screening technology and technological expertise for the project,” the statement added.

Vikrant Trilokekar, managing director of Smiths Detection in India, said, “We are delighted to announce the MoU with BEL. Together, we have the expertise and experience to supply the Indian Government with the industry-leading screening technology it requires for its ever-evolving security needs. Smiths Detection is committed to the Indian market and looks forward to the opportunities the MoU with BEL will uncover.”

The post BEL and Smiths Detection to manufacture high-energy scanning systems appeared first on IMR.

During this visit, a deal will be finalized between Israel and Vietnam for three batteries of the Barak 8 missile system. The value of this deal is being estimated at Rs 50 crore. The delegation will be led by the Deputy Commander of the Vietnam People’s Air Force as well as the Chief of Air Defense. Vietnam is already using the Spyder air-defense system manufactured by Israel.

The Barak 8 system is designed to protect against a variety of threats, including airplanes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles. It can be deployed on land or at sea.

Israel, India made Barak 8 missile

The Barak 8 missile is jointly made by Israel and India. Its range is said to be 70 km. The missile has been jointly designed by Israel Aerospace Industries and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

Barak 8 has been jointly manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited and Rafael Advanced Defense Limited. Since 2016, this missile is deployed in the army of three countries.

The Barak 8 missile is already deployed in the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy. Apart from this, the Israeli Navy and Azerbaijan’s Air Force also use this missile.

 Tension between Israeli companies over Vietnam

Vietnam’s interest in Israel Aerospace Industries’ Barak Systems is troubling news for another Israeli defense company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. In fact, in 2015, Vietnam bought Rafale’s Spyder air-defense system for $600 million. It is considered the largest military deal ever between Israel and Vietnam.

Rafale has recently been in talks to buy three more Spyder systems from Vietnam, but according to Vietnamese sources, the government there is unhappy with Rafale. That is why Vietnam has decided to give priority to Israel Aerospace Industries.

 Vietnam buying weapons worth billions from Israel

The population of Vietnam is around 100 million. For the past 15 years, Vietnam has been buying weapons from Israeli companies. According to an estimate, Vietnam has purchased weapons worth $ 1.5 billion from Israel. Israel’s Elbit Systems has sold $60 million worth of command-and-control systems and $30 million worth of cyber and communications equipment to the Vietnamese Navy.

Israel Aerospace Industries has sold three Heron drone systems to Vietnam for approximately $14 million. Its Alta subsidiary has sold Radar to Vietnam for $150 million, while Ramta has sold 60 armored vehicles for $20 million.

The post Vietnam to buy India-Israel made Barak 8 missile, trouble for China appeared first on IMR.

With road accidents causing nearly 300 deaths (2015) each year in the Indian Army, Bengaluru-based Bharat Earth Movers Limited has come out with a Driver Fatigue Monitoring System to alert the authorities on when to change a driver.

The real-time, non-intrusive AI-based system will accurately predict and identify situations where drowsiness and fatigue in a driver may be setting in. The intelligent system detects such signals in the driver, while the vehicle is in motion.

The system continuously look out for symptoms of drowsiness, while considering physical cues like yawning, drooping eyelids, closed eyes and increased blink durations by using percentage of eyelid closure over the pupil against the time algorithm.

Bharat Electronics Limited has developed an AI enabled gesture recognition system that will inform the guards of a military unit if a person approaching the place is a friend or enemy.

The system that can be easily integrated on a network of IP enabled cameras, uses deep-learning to identify gestures like a human walking with or without a gun, crawling with or without a gun and crouching with or without a gun.

A third key technology would be the silent sentry developed by the Indian Army to plug the gaps in surveillance networks.

They are rail mounted robots that would be used as additional eyes and ears on the perimeters of units and installations to enhance the surveillance grid. Such robots are being used by South Korea and Israel to man their borders.

Other AI-based technologies include target tracking systems for the navy, deep sight canopy inspection for fighter jets and a predictive maintenance suite for the coast guard.

Overall the AI products to be used by the armed forces relate to unmanned and robotics systems, cyber security, human behaviour analysis, intelligent monitoring system, logistics and supply chain management, speech and voice analysis and Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, and operational data analytics

The post Indian Armed Forces aiming to go big with Artificial Intelligence appeared first on IMR.

Another AI-based system would help the Indian Army reduce its heavy road accident toll, which is the number one cause of casualties in peacetime.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, on 18 July, will unveil 75 AI-based products that the army, air force, navy and coast guard will use in the coming days. Another 100 such products are under development.

With road accidents causing nearly 300 deaths (2015) each year in the Indian Army, Bengaluru-based Bharat Earth Movers Limited has come out with a Driver Fatigue Monitoring System to alert the authorities on when to change a driver.

The real-time, non-intrusive AI-based system will accurately predict and identify situations where drowsiness and fatigue in a driver may be setting in. The intelligent system detects such signals in the driver, while the vehicle is in motion, defence ministry sources said. While a camera inside the cabin films the driver continuously, the detection system analyses the movie frame by frame and determines whether the driver’s eyes are open or closed.

The system continuously look out for symptoms of drowsiness, while considering physical cues like yawning, drooping eyelids, closed eyes and increased blink durations by using percentage of eyelid closure over the pupil against the time algorithm.

Another Bengaluru-based public sector unit Bharat Electronics Limited has developed an AI enabled gesture recognition system that will inform the guards of a military unit if a person approaching the place is a friend or enemy.

The system that can be easily integrated on a network of IP enabled cameras, uses deep-learning to identify gestures like a human walking with or without a gun, crawling with or without a gun and crouching with or without a gun.

A third key technology would be the silent sentry developed by the Indian Army to plug the gaps in surveillance networks.

They are rail mounted robots that would be used as additional eyes and ears on the perimeters of units and installations to enhance the surveillance grid. Such robots are being used by South Korea and Israel to man their borders.

Other AI-based technologies include target tracking systems for the navy, deep sight canopy inspection for fighter jets and a predictive maintenance suite for the coast guard.

Overall the AI products to be used by the armed forces relate to unmanned and robotics systems, cyber security, human behaviour analysis, intelligent monitoring system, logistics and supply chain management, speech and voice analysis and Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, and operational data analytics.

Several such technologies would be showcased at a conference and exhibition that the Defence Ministry is organising here on 18 July.

The post Indian Armed Forces aiming to go big with Artificial Intelligence appeared first on IMR.

The report said the Materials and Components (M&C) Group of ordnance factories (OFs) had “lapses in quality control checks which led to rejection of 11 products valued at Rs 175 crore between 2014 and 2019”.

“In all, 584 accidents involving ammunition items were reported by the armed forces,” the report said, adding that the nature of defects observed in the accidents indicated mainly the quality problem with various components and malfunctioning of ammunition.

The ordnance equipment factories engaged in the production of general stores and clothing reduced the issue price in 2018-19 for 11 items and “it resulted in a loss of Rs 190 crore for these factories”.

The Ordnance Factory, Kanpur, procured steel billets for a requirement of four years at one go without any target allocation and adequate demand. It led to a stock hold of 1,099 tonne.

On PSUs, the CAG said Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Vishakhapatnam, had a contract with Indian Coast Guard for the construction and delivery of five patrol vessels at a total cost of Rs 231.19 crore in March 2006.

The vessels were to be delivered between March 2008 and March 2009, however, these were delivered between January 2012 and May 2018. The shipyard did not monitor the weight of the construction material, resulting in increase in the weight of vessels, which had a negative impact on the speed of the vessels and undermined their utility as high-speed patrol vessels.

“Inefficient execution of the contract resulted in increase in material cost, labour cost, direct expenses and overheads, resulting in a total loss of Rs 200.43 crore,” the report said.

In March 2011, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) entered into a contract with the MoD for upgrading 48 tanks for Rs 748.19 crore. “Poor planning delayed the upgrade, resulting in avoidable expenditure of Rs 201.50 crore towards overhauling,” the reports said.

The post CAG says crores wasted by ordnance factories appeared first on IMR.

The GCF at Jabalpur had been making the L-70 guns which ran on a mechanical system. There are no longer orders for the L-70s with the last batch issued to the Army last year. Now as the Army wants upgraded guns with electronic gear, AWEIL as a PSU will have to compete in the open tendering process along with the private sector.

The tenders by both Army and the IAF are for around 200 guns each. The anti-aircraft guns will have electronic equipment radars. In the meantime, even before AWEIL was created, the GCF had also upgraded the legacy L-70 guns in association with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), said sources. The last batch of the upgraded guns was supplied last year. Meanwhile, the company also makes the Dhanush 155×45 mm guns on the lines of the Swedish Bofors. Around 20 guns have been made so far with a target of 24 for the year. In October last year, the guns had cleared a trial in which shells were fired at full charge. The tests were carried out after an incident of muzzle hit was reported during an exercise by the Army. After that another round of trials will take place in which a certain number of rounds will be fired. The final deployment of Dhanush will happen after that.

The post AWEIL Plans to Bid for Making Air Defence Guns appeared first on IMR.

India has been making concerted attempts to boost the capability of its armed forces as the country faces what is seen as two-front war threats from China and Pakistan.

While the more superior fighters in the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet were flying around, over and near the Eastern Ladakh sectors, the light combat planes had assumed the role of a watchdog against Pakistan along the Western region.

India has been attempting to develop a variety of indigenous technology and weapon systems in order to increase defense sector self-reliance, especially for its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

Order for 83 LCAs

In February 2021, HAL was awarded the contract to manufacture 83 LCA for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at an estimated cost of Rs 48,000 crore at the 13th edition of Aero India in Bengaluru, bringing the total number of LCA versions ordered to 123. The 40 LCAs that the IAF has already ordered are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and advanced operational clearance (FOC) variants.

Deliveries to the IAF will begin in 2023 and end in 2024. The indigenous fighter will be outfitted with a locally-developed flight control computer and an air data computer, both of which will be provided by BEL under this deal. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bengaluru’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) have collaborated to develop both of these systems.

The LCA Mk-1A will have a number of enhancements over the FOC aircraft, making it the most advanced LCA variant to date.

The Mk-1A variant includes digital radar warning receivers, external self-protection jammer pods, AESA radar, enhanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, and greatly better maintainability. The indigenous component of the fighter is estimated to be around 60%, compared to 50% in earlier models.

On 16 December 2021, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a a five-year deal with Bharat Electronics Limited for the development and supply of 20 types of systems for the Tejas Mk1A light combat aircraft (LCA) program. The deal, which runs from 2023 to 2028, entails supplying crucial avionics Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), Flight Control Computers, and Night Flying LRUs in what is called the biggest ever order that the state-run company has placed on any Indian company boosting ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.

After completing the requisite design efforts, HAL has set a March 2022 timeline for the first flight of the LCA Mk-1A fighter, according to HAL chairman R Madhavan.

The LCA Tejas and its two variants in the pipeline have become the flag-bearers of India’s indigenous defense manufacturing. The new HAL contract is expected to not only give the requisite push to self-reliance but also boost the capability of the Tejas which is now being pitched to friendly countries.

Indigenous AESA Radar

The development of a indigenous AESA radar, which will be installed in the Tejas, is a big step forward and is aimed at creating a balance of power with China.

These AESA radars will be installed in all 83 Mk1A Tejas Aircraft which will boost its capability significantly. These radars, like the current avionic systems, are also largely indigenous with about 95% local component.

The AESA radar includes an electronic warfare (EW) suite with a jammer, the Combined Interrogator and Transponder (CIT) – an IFF plus system – and a digital map generator.

Hammer Missiles

Additionally, India is also procuring Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) missiles from France to integrate them with the LCA Tejas aircraft after its success with the Rafales.

They are being procured under the emergency route granted to the military in the backdrop of continuing Chinese aggression. These missiles are expected to enhance the firepower of these LCAs and allow them to strike bunker targets deep inside the enemy territory.

Tejas Mark 2 Design Cleared

The LCA) is now evolving from its current, single-engine, Mark 1 avatar to a more sophisticated, twin-engine, fifth-generation fighter. On 15 November 2021, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS), Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, accepted the comprehensive design review (CDR) of the LCA Mark 2.

A CDR is a multi-discipline, technical review that is a critical step in designing an aircraft. It involves examining the air frame design to ascertain that the aircraft is ready for fabrication and testing and it would achieve its stipulated performance within cost, schedule and risk.

The IAF’s acceptance of the CDR clears the way for HAL to start releasing drawings for fabricating the Mark 2’s first prototype.

Alongside building the Mark 2 prototype, HAL and the ADA – the DRDO agency that oversees the entire Tejas programme – must still resolve a few glitches that remain in the Mark 1 fighter; and also complete delivery of the IAF’s order of 40 Mark 1 (two squadrons) and 83 Mark 1A (four squadrons).

Status of the Indigenous Fighter Project

The first two Mark 1 squadrons are already operational in Sulur, near Coimbatore. Each of them is authorized 20 fighters, including four twin-seat trainers. The trainers’ specifications were finalised late, so they will be built along with the 10 trainers of the four Mark 1A squadrons.

The IAF has cleared the “FOC for the Mark I fighter, even though that involved granting 25 concessions – or performance shortfalls from the IAF’s specified requirements. HAL, ADA and the IAF are working together to resolve these shortfalls.

Issues Resolved

Issues which have already been resolved include equipping the Tejas to re-fuel in-flight, by day or night. This was proved by refuelling into internal fuel tanks or external drop tanks, from IL-78 refuellers or from Sukhoi-30MKI acting as “buddy refuellers.

The capability to monitor fuel levels in the Tejas through an integrated Environmental Control and Fuel Management (ECFM) system has also been resolved.

The Gasha 23 mm gun has been integrated into Tejas Mk 1 but live firing was pending. The same has also been done. 

The indigenous Astra air-to-air missile and Safran’s HAMMER air-to-ground bomb are waiting to be integrated onto the Tejas. HAL is doing the mechanical and electrical integration, while the DRDO is handling the software and the weapons algorithm.

Fatigue tests remain to establish the fighter’s service life span. These tests involve taking an aircraft from the production line and subjecting it to repetitive loading. As more and more hours are logged and the data accumulates, the manufacturer increases the designated life-span proportionately. It takes about nine years of testing to establish 3,000 hours of service life.

The digital map generator, designed by HAL’s Mission and Combat Systems R&D Centre (MCSR&DC), carries the complete map data of the country and neighbouring areas. Depending upon the Tejas’ mission, it extracts the digitised map of the current mission area and transfers it to the pilots’ display, where he can easily access it.

HAL is also integrating the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) onto the Mark 1A. The ASRAAM, which has a range of 60-70 kms was bought by the IAF from MBDA UK, for upgrading its Jaguar fighters. Now each Tejas too will carry two of these missiles on its outboard stations.

Another modification involves reshaping the cockpit floor to enable bigger pilots – with shoe size up to 10, which includes 95 per cent of all IAF pilots – to fit into the cockpit and fly the aircraft comfortably.

What Will the Tejas LCA Mk 2 be Like?

The Tejas Mark 2 is will be significantly larger and more capable than the Mk 1, with a higher thrust engine and a 1.5-metre increase in length. While there is no change in the size of the wings, they have been pushed outwards, effectively increasing the fighter’s wingspan by 300 mm.

Ahead of the wings, a canard has been added, creating a resemblance with contemporary fighters such as the Rafale, Eurofighter or the Sukhoi-30MKI. The canard provides an additional control surface that creates a vortex, increasing the lifting capability and agility of the aircraft.

The Mark 2 has increased payload capacity to integrate more weapons and sensors. It will carry the indigenous Astra Mark 1 and Mark 2 missiles, Rudram anti-radiation missiles, developed by the DRDO’s Defence R&D Laboratory (DRDL) (tested on 9 October).

DRDO is developing the Tara (high speed, low drag) bomb that is mounted on the pylons. It will also have the option of carrying laser guided bombs (LGBs), fitted with laser-guidance kits. Mark 2 may be integrated with the SCALP missile that has been procured along with the Rafale fighters.

Tejas Mark 2 will have 11 hard points, including one on each wingtip for the ASRAAM air-to-air missile. There will be three under-wing pylons on each side, one wet station on each side for fuel drop tanks, while the other three hard points are for long-range missiles such as the Astra and Rudram.

Fitted with significantly more powerful General Electric (GE) F-414 engine, the Mark 2 would have its internals rearranged, to make them more accessible and maintenance friendly. Line replacement units will be optimally rearranged to improve space utilisation, accessibility and make maintenance easier and reduce turn-around time.

Aeroengines

HAL had signed a $716 million deal with American company GE Aviation earlier this year for 99 F404 aircraft engines and related services to power the indigenous Tejas LCA Mk-1A. On top of that, it is now building its own indigenous engine that is expected to power its Tejas variants as well as its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) aircraft.

The current GE F-404 power pack will be replaced with F-414, whose peak thrust of 83 KiloNewtons (kN) is considered inadequate. The GE F-414 engine will deliver 98 kN of peak power. The new engine will enable the Mark 2 to take off with a maximum all-up weight of 16.5 tonnes, which will include the 10-tonne weight of the fighter and 6.5 tonnes of external payload.

The Tejas Mark 2 can carry 3.5 tonnes of fuel in external drop tanks, in addition to 3.3 tonnes in its internal fuel tanks, while still carrying three tonnes of weapons and sensors.

The post Tejas LCA Mk 2 Taking Shape appeared first on IMR.