Finally, India’s Carrier Fighter Ready To Fly


The carrier variant of India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) will make its maiden flight in July. It should be said that confidence for the LCA Navy’s first flight has taken its time coming. The programme team had initially aimed at getting the naval trainer prototype NP-1 airborne in December last year.

The DRDO’s chief controller for aeronautical programmes Dr Prahlada was recently quoted by a newspaper as saying, “Being the first flight of the LCA naval programme, we want to ensure that everything is put in place before the first flight and that the programme is as successful as the Indian Air Force (IAF) version which has had no accidents since it started flight tests on January 4, 2001.”

The LCA Navy programme team has faced challenges in strengthening the platform’s landing gear and refining its sink-rate parameters.

28 thoughts on “Finally, India’s Carrier Fighter Ready To Fly”

  1. Just yesterday was seeing Captain Malonkars video in areo India seminar on flight testing of Lca navy…i understood that navy is looking Nlca as an TD….they are hoping to make it multi role fighter by 2025…they are collecting huge amount of data and the navy has lot of interest in this program…NP2 the second LCA N will be ready by year end with increased thrust and modified air intakes..shiv i have one question… i have heard that the earlier prototypes are converted in EW role, refulling probe, and one with kaveri…can you just confirm at what stages are these programmes and when are they gonna complete…PLZ dude you can (press) can call those ppl….but i can't…!!!

  2. would it be difficult for IN to have gone for twin engined LCA-n variant? The CFD analysis should have been done by now. We have now got enough data for all the aerodynamic requirements for a twin engined delta. It would have also given a flip to a-MCA program.

  3. This is good news, but I would take it with a pinch of salt. Having done a little web research on DRDO / ADA interviews for the last four years, I note with concern that NONE of the promised milestone dates for the programme have been met. NONE!. Yes, there is no doubt that development risk is there in the programme, but certainly programme management needs to factor it in while committing to timelines. I was fortunate to have witnessed the roll out, and the Director of ADA promised first flight in September last year. Even Saint Anthony advised caution, and said he would be happy with a December deadline. Now July? At roll out they didnt know that the undercarriage needed strengthening? Something tells me that a wager that the first flight will take place after July would be worth making. And before I get bashed by all the jingos, I would like to say that I have no doubt about the technical skills and work ethic of our scientists and engineers over at ADA and HAL, but I do think a little prgramme management enhancement might be in order. My two annas, without prejudice.

  4. it sounds less capable air craft but with help from French we can incorporate sclap-lg cruise missile for long range attack .

  5. very strange that our friend- the friendly taxpayer from across the border who often advises us not to waste tax payer's money in the name of R&D has not commented yet on this piece. That said wishing the Naval LCA team all the best!! Hoping to see the naval LCA take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier soon… well done guys!!! Jai Hind!!!

  6. ""Indian Air Force (IAF) version which has had no accidents since it started flight tests on January 4, 2001""

    THIS by itself a great milestone!

  7. UNTIL AND UNLESS THESE TEJAS ADAPTED FULLLY IN AIRFORCE AND NAVY ( WITH FULL CAPACITY) DONOT TRUST IT.LOTS OF PROMISE, DATELINE,4.5 GEN STNDRD , FALSE HOPES (WITH LOTS OF SHORTCOMINGS) ,, WHEN SO MUCH SHORTCOMING THEN WHY CALL IT 4.5 GEN?

  8. @anon 8:26 PM. I am in total agreement with your line of thinking. DRDO has probably not tested anything during the monsoon,especially that of which the bubble wrap is just being removed. I am highly sceptical of this deadline.

    At the most we might have a nominal take off and landing. And that would not say anything yet on how it will perform at INS Hansa- which will probably be the real test.

    But then again I hope they prove us both wrong.

  9. Great was Looking forward to it Hope… It will improve India's stand. and help India in AMCA.
    It will surely help India in Making new AMCA aircraft..

    regards;
    sanket jagtap
    sanketj.com

  10. anon @ 322pm
    u want the first flight of an aircraft to include what exactly??? a couple of loop de loops??or maybe a flutter test??or maybe do all that in a thunderstorm!!!

    all first flights are exactly that….take off..fly around a bit..land..nothing fancy ..atleast nothing fancy to the untrained eye..all in weather thats not too bad

  11. @ Anon 11:24 AM: There is something in ur comments that makes me wonder whether you purposely forgot to write REGARDS, TAXPAYER at the end.. brother one may conceal names or use various hideous tactics to discredit a country or its various institutions, however what the words convey and the typical manner (ranting) of your writing sure reveal your identity.

    Stop venting your vitriole on Indian websites for the sake of Pakistani tax payers' money..
    LOL

    Thanks & Regards,

    The True Indian Taxpayer

    P.S. repeat after me: Jai Hind! 🙂

  12. I pay taxes so that DRDO could absorb the pains of failures and come back with all the flying colors. I'll happily give my tax paid amount for this.

    All Indians (including me) are committed to support our scientists.

    Well Done DRDO/NAL….having lesser than 10% of what US DoD budget you guys make us feel proud

    ~Just Indian

  13. this is certainly a great news, now the only thing left is a news about the IAC 1 and the progress we have made so far.

  14. anon @ 4:46 pm, You will find that what I was trying to say is we should all get excited when it moves to INS Hansa. We already know the IAF derivative of this flies very well.

    Nevertheless an important milestone IF it happens in July, not forgetting where its real test lies.

    Thanks to Shiv for keeping us posted on these news.

  15. @anon 543..
    mm….bit like the a kid walking for the first time..doesnt matter if all its relatives are doing fine..still a big event isnt it??

  16. I feel marut should be reequipped with kaveri engine as marut could supercruise with orpheus engine with kaveri it can go trisonic and that would be a great idea. Drop the mirage upgrade and get reequipped marut with kaveri engine , it can kick the butts of any enymy fighters.

  17. I agree with earlier post that 41 million a piece is a criminal waste on a very old plane up gradation and it is better to go with combined Indian and Israel up gradation which would cost way less and be cost effective. We can perhaps get a new tejas MK II for 41 million. I feel Honeywell IN 125 would be a good engine with new radar and avionics along with new radar and fly by wire system marut would be true to its name.

  18. For HAL marut is sadly a closed chapter and it would be great idea that that all the maps and design be given to a private sector company like TATA or L&T to manufacture an upgraded marut with new engine , fly by wire system and new radar to create a computation with thunder to sell in international market as a cheap high quality fighter to replace the thunder and kill the market of thunder.This would be a great idea as FW 190 designed by Prof. Kurt Tank is a world beater and marut with new equipment would do that as it is fantastic design of the airframe that with a 20 KN Orpheus engine could super-cruise, and with new engine , avionics , radar and fly by wire system it would be economical and a world beater.

  19. hmm… not sure if this comment piece is now closed.

    But looks like my doubts were true[Read Tarmak]. I am the anon @5:43 PM

  20. Can we add towering decoys..and other latest stuffs we get from MMRCA to LCA MK 2. Also I m eagerly waiting for a LCA MK1 vs J10, Comparison…seen a lot of comparison with FC-1.

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