LCA Mk.2 Operational Clearance Not Before 2022

And here’s some official detail on timelines on the LCA Tejas Mk.2 fresh from Parliament, confirming Livefist reports on operational clearance nowhere before 2022. Here’s Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar’s full statement in Parliament today on the LCA Mk.2:
The project for design and development of Light combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas Mk-II was sanctioned in November 2009 at a cost of Rs.2431.55 Crore with Probable Date of Completion (PDC) of December 2018.  However, because of delay in finalisation of Engine Contract, the project could start only in December 2013.  As a result, maiden flight of first Prototype and Operational Clearance are likely to be completed by December 2019 and December 2022, respectively.  There after induction.

Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bengaluru is the Nodal Agency for design and development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-II.  ADA has not entered into any collaboration with European Aircraft Manufacturers who had participated in the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tenders for development of Tejas Mk-II.  However, ADA may like to avail consultancy from some of them.

Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-II would be an improved version of LCA Mk-I.  Some of the new systems / technologies, like Active Electrically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Unified Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, On Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS), Upgraded Avionics, etc. are to be included in LCA Tejas Mk-II to make the aircraft more contemporary.  Technologies, systems engineering and experience gained during development of LCA Tejas Mk-II would benefit the development of Fifth Generation Aircraft indigenously.


17 thoughts on “LCA Mk.2 Operational Clearance Not Before 2022”

  1. Well it's the never ending usual story from ADA, HAL & GE.

    Well what happened to HSTDV-2 at TsAGI in Dec 2014 ?

    HSTDV-2 was supposed to undergo testing in hypersonic wind tunnel at TsAGI. It seems Finance mantri Arun Jaitley & Raksha Mantri Manohar Parrikar came under crumbling pressure from external entity, the so called "XYYYZZ Nation" which ordered them to stop financing the HSTDV-2 project. Obviously "XYYYZZZ Nation" doesn't want INDIA to succeed in Hypersonic vehicle TD.

    It seems which ever Party comes to power in Delhi, GOI officially remains to be a proxy for some other so called "XYYYZZZ Nation" to execute their plans on us.

    Also there seems to be a moratorium on developing an ICBM, MIRV & MARV. No wonder this moratorium is also imposed by "XYYZZZ Nation". INDIA is the most populous democracy we should not shake our heads & oblige to whatever others say. We have our own brains & we can make our own decision.

    Please spread the word on HSTDV-2. Oherwise it will be a repeat of 1998 POK-2 like situation & NPT like treaty will follow on banning Hypersonic testing. Such treaty is already under formulation. Well DRDO & ISRO need to synergize their work on developing HSTDV & AVATAR (RLV). INDIA needs to act fast on HSTDV & AVATAR (RLV). Otherwise Hypersonic testing ban & sanctions will be looming over us.

    #SaveHSTDV-2 Jai Hind !!!!!!!!!!! Satyamev Jayate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Well it's the never ending usual story from ADA, HAL & GE.

    Well what happened to HSTDV-2 at TsAGI in Dec 2014 ?

    HSTDV-2 was supposed to undergo testing in hypersonic wind tunnel at TsAGI. It seems Finance mantri Arun Jaitley & Raksha Mantri Manohar Parrikar came under crumbling pressure from external entity, the so called "XYYYZZ Nation" which ordered them to stop financing the HSTDV-2 project. Obviously "XYYYZZZ Nation" doesn't want INDIA to succeed in Hypersonic vehicle TD.

    It seems which ever Party comes to power in Delhi, GOI officially remains to be a proxy for some other so called "XYYYZZZ Nation" to execute their plans on us.

    Also there seems to be a moratorium on developing an ICBM, MIRV & MARV. No wonder this moratorium is also imposed by "XYYZZZ Nation". INDIA is the most populous democracy we should not shake our heads & oblige to whatever others say. We have our own brains & we can make our own decision.

    Please spread the word on HSTDV-2. Oherwise it will be a repeat of 1998 POK-2 like situation & NPT like treaty will follow on banning Hypersonic testing. Such treaty is already under formulation. Well DRDO & ISRO need to synergize their work on developing HSTDV & AVATAR (RLV). INDIA needs to act fast on HSTDV & AVATAR (RLV). Otherwise Hypersonic testing ban & sanctions will be looming over us.

    #SaveHSTDV-2 Jai Hind !!!!!!!!!!! Satyamev Jayate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Is it just me or is the Mk II timeline seems too long. When is the first flight scheduled. Wonder if any could provide guessestimates for the time required for each of the major upgrades/ changes planned for the Mk II vis a vi the Mk I

  4. ADA must go out transparently and aggressively and approach global aerospace companies for consultancy to get the aircraft ready for service. In the past ADA expected that global firms will knock on their doors and fall over each other to participate. ADA must bite the bullet, keep its nationalistic egos aside and move forward without wasting further money of the tax payer.

  5. We need to learn from china.
    Keep making the LCA & keep improving them on feedback. Let there be upgrades every 3-5 years. Let airforce keep buying 10-12 every year. Keep upgrading the old ones.
    If we had done this on marut, we never would need to import jaguars & MiG27.
    Look at where ALH us, so many variants and there is now a more powerful engine ! Now let HAL setup repairs & spares depots in all zones. Improve the availability.
    Do same with Arjun. Setup repair and spares depot s in the north , west etc.improve availability, study failures, improve parts !
    If we find it heavy, big etc produce Arjun turrent with t-72 chassis.

    There is no substitute for local design and production. We should not keep importing.

    1. Just CLOSE DRDO,ADA,HAL ETC….
      REVERSE ENGINEERING IS THE BEST THING…..look at china
      WE CAN ALL OUR LOCAL BUSINESS MEN AMD GOVT TO BUY cheaper and best sukhoi and rafaels……
      Then satrt to scratch hire young indian students and loyal army jawans should form a team…..
      Reverse engineer and build models of sukhois and rafaels like chinese are doing…….each and every part of reverse engineered flight should be manufactured indigeneously…………..
      THEN ONLY INDIA WILL HAVE ITS OWN INDIGENEOUSLY BUILT SQUADRONS OF FIGHTER JETS WITH ADEQUATE NUMBERS……..
      Be it NATO,USA OR RUSSSIA WILL SERVE ONLY THEIR INTERESTS……..
      ITS WE INDIANS NEED TO REALISE OUR ABILITY AND FOCUS ON STRATEGIES TO INDEGENIOUSLY EQUIPNOUR OWN AIRFORCE…….AND SHOW PREPAREDNESS FOR ANY KIND OF CALAMATIES……….
      STILL AS A NATION WE INDIANS ARE NOT ABLE TO BUILD A SINGLE FIGHTER JET …..AIMING OURSELVES TO BE SUPER POWER ON PAR WITH CHINA..RUSSIA,, usA…….
      RATHER THAN FILLING UP A cast based and QUOTA BASED SYSTEM IN THESE ORGANIsation…….and complaining later about their performansband outputs…
      Better to close these govt institutions which are cast based and have corrupt babus who work for salary and commision……….
      LETS BRING INDIAN PRIVATE PLAYERS AND START TO RE ENGINEER JETS LIKE CHINA…….
      WILL ANY INDIAN GOVT WILL EVER DARE TO ATTEMT IT …………
      EVEN MODI GOVT WILL NOT DO IT,……..ALAS THY WILL LOOSE THEIR COOMISION THEY ARE GETTING FROM FORIGN FIRMS……

  6. I am willing to put my money on the dates being met by ADA. Looks like the GoI has asked DRDO to give realistic time frame and DRDO have given themselves a comfortable timeframe. I am looking forward to seeing the first timeline being comfortably met by ADA / HAL. The second timeline also is reasonable but IAF in its usual fashion, is likely to come up with fresh requirements towards the end of the project.

  7. Clearly, the tejas mk1 doesnt work, poor radar, poor range, no survivabitly, fatty and underpowered, only 30% made in india, always postponed the IAF service, IAF prefer wait the mk2 and HAL is in trouble for mk1 production, the tejas mk2 doesnt exist the complete jet must rework, US engine, Radar aesa From israel/usa, same one they china get for jf17. kaveri project canceled, bah! i come back in 30 years for check progress. india dont have knowledge for build key component after 25 year R&D
    tejas mk1 is the miror of india known how, that mean not very high and they think knowing better. tejas,kaveri,hjt,… long list of fail.

    1. India always believe China is 20 years behind in all aspects. However, developing a simple LCA of over 70% foreign components plus foreign technology/supervision, the LCA is still not combat ready. Thus, I wonder why india not turn to Pakistan to procure their fighter planes, which have been muture and in the market for more 10 years. No need to wait till eternity.

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