Tejas deadline likely to be postponed

The final operational clearance (FOC) for India’s first indigenous aircraft,LCA Tejas,is expected to come by December 2012. While the DRDO and Tejas authorities have been projecting the date,talking exclusively to The Indian Express,one of the IAF pilots involved in the development of Tejas argued that the tedious certification process and the suggestions IAF has sent to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) might postpone the deadline further. He said that there is no resource crunch,but the 20-year gap post-Marut is too wide to be bridged so fast.

“For the FOC,the aircraft has to go through a tedious certification process that involves tests for each and every component. While the list is long,some of the suggestions we have approached the HAL with include drop tank,store integration,flutter,specifications of sensors,carriage,equipment integration,and so on. In fact,we also have suggestions regarding envelope expansion — angle of attack and ‘g’. Given the lengthy certification process,the December 2012 deadline would be missed,” said the pilot on condition of anonymity. The pilot added,“The DRDO is projecting the December 2012 deadline just because post that deadline,it would become a 30-year project and it might not be a good tag.”

Giving an example the pilot added,“Store integration is a lengthy process. It involves geometric issues,besides aspects such as centre of gravity,aero dynamics,fusing,weaponry,intra-store effects and so on. The drop tank specifications involve sensor specifications,electronics,loads,so that it does not hit the aircraft and others.”

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“It is a good aircraft. By the time we obtain the FOC,it is going to be five to six times better than what it is now,’ said Group Captain George Thomas,Group Director,Flight Test Operations,ADA.

The LCA team has been performing breathtaking aerobatics at the Yelahanka Air Base in Bangalore with five aircraft taking flights,two on display and one on static display.