Stealth Air-intake Fabrication For AMCA

These are the first official DRDO images of fabrication of compact advanced serpentine air-intakes, intended for preliminary studies on performance. The DRDO plans serpentine air intakes on its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the IUSAV stealth UCAV. Recently posted a new cutaway image of the impression airframe, throwing new light on the aircraft’s stealth and design elements. Much more about the AMCA’s stealth elements here.

31 thoughts on “Stealth Air-intake Fabrication For AMCA”

  1. Looks like a "jugaad" project with two rusted metal iron bars holding a I'll conceived plastic from sintex tanks.. ..I can bet 30 yrs and will will still be hearing AMCA is coming ..I mean comeon guys

  2. The Air-Intake looks promissing.. 🙂

    and u might have noticed the "Exposed" power plug in the Rack.. (2nd Pic).. we might wanna give importance to safety for critical facilities like this..

  3. The Air-Intake looks promissing.. 🙂

    and u might have noticed the "Exposed" power plug in the Rack.. (2nd Pic).. we might wanna give importance to safety for critical facilities like this..

  4. Shiv Aroor i have seen your blog..you posted many things about DRDO's work its look good…But the AURA and AMCA projects looks like somw what classified..How you got this pictures paying money..?
    Because the pictures you posted is inside the lab..they allow you to took the pictures..
    Posting this pictures are illegal i think.

  5. Like it says "…. fabrication of compact advanced serpentine air-intakes, intended for preliminary studies on performance", meaning these are conceptual shapes and test data will feed into both ISUAV's and AMCA's final intake design or for that matter any other design which will have serpentine intake.

    Glad to see their eagerness to prove themselves. Suffice to say painfully acquired LCA experience has started pay of.

  6. surprised to see how these classified pictures of lab and other sensitive materials are out??? Shiv yo shud be careful buddy… i have never seen these details from china/pak. Are sure u can publish these???

  7. Dude., this looks more like a DIY project inside a engineering classroom.My college seems to have a better lab than this one !! Anyway weird ! .. cannot think how a picture of such an advanced project can be taken and too published ! How many pictures of the F 20 or 35 s engineering pics are out there in the internet ? And if this is for real. you could be in for some serious trouble… no not from indian intelligence but some others might be interested in your sources .

  8. @anonymous (9:06)
    Shut the hell up man! Can't you read the title?! Its easy to make fun of things which you don't know nothing about.

  9. Hi Shiv,

    I really appreciate your effort to give an insight of one of our most projects. I am really desperate to know these things. But don't you think we are keeping our top secrete project at risk. I have seen you doing so many times in the past in your blog and also in TV.

    This kind of information proves that you are one of best reporter when it comes to defence. But you need to first see whether your report reveals India's top secrete projects.

    When I saw this article, I was so happy to see some progress in AMCA. But next moment, I felt guilty we have now exposed our secrets.

    Just one question: Have you ever seen any such information regarding F22 or F35? F22 is already in use and F35 almost ready. Still we do not have enough information about their design. Then why are we playing with our secrets?

  10. and the question still is, what engines will power AMCA?
    if snecma-DRDO kaveri mk.2 is indeed abandoned, i don't know.

    Given the entire rationale of a lower medium tier fighter vs. high end (PAK-FA) would be lower costs, I still believe single engine is the way to go, ala F-35's F135. The Americans haven't even achieved better thrust/consumption numbers than they could have achieved with two GE414's, but presumably there is still maintenance benefits from one engine. Convincing Russia to create a JV for a medium single engine fighter could be workable, as well as have good export prospects.

    Otherwise, de-rating Izd.129 would probably be the best bet, as it should already be on a ramp-up of indigenous production, and improvements could be shared with the PAK-FA to a large extent.

  11. Would like to know if it will not be a major set-back when the design specifications are DE-classified before the bird takes to the skies and enter service with the IAF,The world came to know about J-20 only when it was flight worthy.

  12. Aroor you secret giver awayer you need to be arrested!

    PS Not for giving away national secrets but for actually believing Subramanian Swamy over APJ Abdul Kalam!! One is a poisonous snake the other an affable somewhat overrated visionary. Guess who I prefer.

  13. Hi Shiv,
    please check out first that this is intended to be show to public.
    because if its secret it is we who are at the losing point.do not reveal the secret projects of our country.

  14. The tortuous path and the changes in cross section high light the main defect of Stealth-appalling propulsion aerodynamics inefficiencies. This is just the intake.Think of the exhaust with its "fish tail" slots.Dear God! the weight of flat pressure-bearing surfaces and the heat losses! I trust we are also organizing funds to buy the six to seven tankers required ofr each "Stealth" aircraft.Six to seven? The tankers will buddy refuel so that far out one tanker refuels one Stealth.Read about Operation Black Buck about how a dozen Victor Tankers were needed to support One Vulcan.

  15. These pictures are classified ones, which should not be put in public places all over the internet. There are many espionages from China would likely thank you for providing this convenience. The worst scenario might be using the shape of this air induct and integrating into their J20 or future 5th generation fighter.

  16. Prodyut, why dont you please go back to the 19th century? Its calling you. All those inefficiencies and support elements are worth it, if the pilot and crew make it out alive against a hostile IADS. In contrast, armchair marshals like you will never see combat or experience the white knuckled despair of not seeing loved ones return from dangerous missions. After all, werent you the one selling everyone the ridiculous idea of massed flotillas of lightweight MiG-21s as versus heavy fighters with BVR armamennt. Sadly the likes of you never get to experience the dangers of combat and hence, nor can you appreciate the edge technology brings, academic qualifications apart.

  17. with in 10 year they only made intake so we understand whole jet take 30-40 year ha ha ha hal they can;t make ww-1 type biplane or canwac pistion engine plane

  18. Observer
    Please read Pankaj's comment.
    The fact ,dear Observer is that whilst I am indeed a Armchair Marshal (BTW Thanks for the promotion-usually one is supposed to be an armchair General!)but the other fact is that Weapons Sales is indeed a cut throat business and Marketing lies is apart of it.If you go over the Hype we saw over VG in the sixties and seventies you would get a sense of Deja Vu.Today if you suggest VG for any design I am afraid it would be the padded cell for you. I feel that these "hyper technologies" will be forgotten as soon as they have been sold to all and sundry. Mind you passive stealth reduction can be explored but let us not go for this "Total stealth".
    A second point. We make only 30%of our requirements.The rest is imported. Interms of priorites is this all stealt wonder the next 1% i.e. the 31% ? A lot of the boys would have come home- your very point with which I totally agree- if we had PLBs. Ask the boys at MOFTU who are still missing about four of their fellows since 2010 ( date inexact)

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