The Future Of Indian Navy

1.INS VIKRANT

          INS Vikrant is first ever carrier designed  and built by any Asian country.She is currently being built by the Cochin Shipyard limited and is in the third phase of construction in which she will get all those wiring, radars installation and propulsion system.It will carry a mix of Mig 29K and naval LCA Tejas MK2. Mig 29k is already in service with Indian Navy and is operational on board the INS Vikramaditya.Navy had already ordered 48 Mig 29k.On the other hand, Tejas is in development phase whose mk1 naval version is already made the maiden flight from the INS Hansa from an SBTF facility.Naval Tejas MK2 will only see the operational deployment on the INS Vikrant because mk1 has lesser combat radius than required therefore it will only be used for testing purpose only.Naval Tejas MK2 will have more range and advanced avionics than the Mig itself.INS Vikrant will carry a mix of kamov 28 and sea king for early warning and anti-submarine operations respectively.
                           INS Vikrant is STOBAR (short take-off but arrested landing) carrier which design is highly influenced by the Russian carriers ,Russians also operates SATOBAR like admiral Kuznetsov.she will be powered by four  GE LM 25000 marine gas turbine engines and providing a higher cruise speed.vikrant will have a range of about 15000 km.It is slated to carry ak 630 as close in weapon system (ciws) and a mix of possibility is that Vikrant will carry Barak 8 or Barak 1 missiles in VLS system.Her carrier battle group will consist of Kolkata class destroyer and ins kamotra class corvettes.she will be escorted by kalvari class diesel-electric subs which is also known as scorpion class designed and developed by dcns of France.Kolkata class will provide anti-air capability and kamotra as anti-sub warfare.INS Vikrant is slated to be in service with Indian navy by 2018.

Schematics Diagram:

full schematics of ins Vikrant

top view of ins Vikrant

specifications :

             length   262 m
             drought 8.4 m
             beam    60 m
             speed  28 knots
             aviation facility 10000 m2
Armament :
                    32 cell Barak 8
                    AK 630 CIWS
Aircraft:      Mig 29K
                     NLCA Tejas MK2
                     Kamov ka 28
                     Seaking anti sub helicopter

                                                                                                                                   

Comptroller and Auditor General(CAG) Report On Tejas Program

Preface

his Performance Audit Report for the year ended March

T

2014,  has been prepared for submission to the President of India under Article 151 of the Constitution of India.

The Report contains the results of examination by Audit of the issues relating to Design, Development, Manufacture and Induction of Light Combat Aircraft (Air Force). The Performance Audit (PA) covers the progress made in execution of LCA programme since the last Review, i.e., Para 28 of the Report No. 8 of 1999 of the C&AG of India, Union Government, Defence ServicesIndian Air Force (IAF) was operating MIG-21 series of aircraft manufactured during 1966 to 1987. Majority of these aircraft were to complete their total technical life and were expected to be phased out in the 1990s, thereby resulting in significant fall in combat level of Air Force. Thus, IAF mooted the proposal (early 1980s) for a replacement aircraft for MIG-21 fleet.  It was against this backdrop that the indigenous design & development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) was sanctioned (1983) and Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore was formed (1984) to execute the programme.  

As specified in the ASR (1985), LCA was required to be inducted into IAF by 1994. However, the LCA programme was riddled with delays right from the sanction of 1983 and even after three decades since, LCA is yet to be inducted into IAF squadrons.

During the course of phased development, ADA’s decision to advance building of two prototypes from FSED Phase II to FSED Phase I rendered these prototypes deficient of critical on board systems, which had a cascading effect on the remaining three prototypes, and led to ADA using even the Limited Series Production aircraft meant for IAF use towards flight testing/evaluation, in contravention to the commitment given to the GoI at the time of obtaining sanction for building of these aircraft.

Further, IOC for LCA Mark-I was achieved (December 2013) with 53 concessions/permanent waivers, which limits the operational efficiency and survivability of the aircraft. Consequently, LCA Mark-I currently under development (both IOC/FOC aircraft) has shortfalls in meeting the engine thrust and other parameters such as weight of the aircraft, fuel capacity, pilot protection from front against 7.62 mm bullets etc. The self-protection jammer which was originally to be fitted on LCA Mark-I is now planned to be fitted on LCA Mark-II, thus the 40 LCA Mark-I would be provided only with RWR Tarang-1B and deficient of self-protection jammer, thus limiting its electronic warfare capabilities. Thus, IAF would be constrained to use 40 LCA Mk-I aircraft with limited operational capabilities, and LCA Mark-II being developed by ADA presently is expected to meet the ASR.

Delays in identification/replacement/ addition of weapons by IAF and their integration as per IAF requirement to make the LCA contemporary also added to the delays. In addition, there have been delays in completion of work packages by various work centres, which indicated ineffective monitoring of the project by MoD.

User involvement right from inception would be essential for effective and efficient completion of any project However, active user (Air HQ) participation in the LCA Programme started only after November 2006, even though the need for a Liaison Group between Air HQ and ADA to ensure closer interaction between the design team and the user for better appreciation of mutual perception, had been recommended by the LCA PDP Review Committee as early as in 1989.

Though ADA claimed achievement of 70 per cent indigestion, half of these sub-systems are developed with imported electronic components and accessories etc. The LCA programme suffered major setbacks in the indigenous development of Kaveri engine, Multi-Mode Radar, self-protection jammer, etc. The proposal for indigenous development of 109 LRUs was pending approval since February 2014.

The setting up of a production capacity of eight LCA per annum was delayed by HAL, which coupled with delay in production capacity augmentation, had impacted the formation of LCA Squadrons. Further, there has been delay in the manufacture and supply of series production aircraft due to delayed LCA development.

As a consequence of delay in development and induction of LCA, IAF had to up-grade MiG Bis, MiG-29, Mirage-2000 and Jaguar aircraft at a cost of `20,037 crore and revise phasing out of MiG-21 to ensure credible combact .

Considering that measures taken by IAF to upgrade other aircraft were of temporary nature and induction of LCA was crucial for maintaining the operational preparedness of IAF in order to overcome the drawdown of squadron strength permanently, the LCA programme needs to be expeditiously completed to cater to the needs of the Defence Forces so as to avoid import of the fighter aircraft of this class and to ensure self-reliance in the long run.

TEJAS : THE PRIDE OF INDIA

Tejas is compound tailless delta wing multirole Indian fighter aircraft.
It is designed and developed by DRDO aeronautics cluster ADA(aeronautical development agency) and being produced by Hindustan aeronautics limited as per its initial operational clearance configuration.
TEJAS  AS THE PRIDE OF INDIA: I love this plane not because it is beautiful, but because it is Indian (designed and developed in India), the first plane which is truly designed by Indian.It  is very light and small.
It has been tested in harsh Indian condition and also proved its capability in Iron Fist, Aero India 2013
and by taking off from SBTF facility, Goa. IAF never supported fully this Desi bird.As it is first Indian combat aircraft it has some flaws, but these can be eliminated in the mid-life upgrade.
It has completed its IOC tests and near to get FOC, till now Indian Air force has ordered only 40 plane which is very less than what it should be as IAF need about 400 light weight single engine fighter.

DESIGN: Tejas is designed along the single engine, unstable tailless compound delta wing configuration.
here is the orthographic of Tejas......

As it is unstable in needs to makes stable which is done by flight control computer.As we read "it is unstable " one question arises why it is so?,what is the advantage?how does it fly smoothly as we know?

in now days combat aircraft must be highly maneuverable aircraft for air to air combat.In your views which are more maneuverable a stable car or an unstable bike , which can turn faster? the answer is bike.that is why Tejas is made astable.

     Tejas flight control system is quadruplex digital fly by wire(fbw) system.Fly by wire means its actuators which control the control surface movement is controlled by electronic signals, not by mechanical means. the fbw software is made by national CLAW team and was validated, which was a big achievement.Till now Tejas had completed as more as 2800 flights without any accident , this proves how reliable its fbw system is.
     Compound delta wing produces vortex as same as close coupled canard in the Gripen at a high angle of attack (AOA).Tejas fbw system allows it  to go up to 28-degree angle of attack as per ADA.it can
go to 35-degree AOA without its control surfaces going to stall.
 ENGINE: Tejas use American GE F404 IN 20 engine.it is a low bypass turbofan engine.
The specification of the engine is as follow
Dry thrust: 53.9 kN
Thrust with afterburner(wet thrust): 89.8 kN
     With this engine Tejas has 1.07 thrust to weight ratio which is best in its class.Due to its high thrust to weight ratio and low wing loading it has high instantaneous turn rate and sustained turn rate.Its high ITR provide an opportunity  to get a first lock and hence the first attack.

ARMAMENT: Tejas has 7 hard points  for weapons and one for targeting pod like lightning targeting pod.

Tejas can carry 3.5 ton of weapons on its 8 hard points.the configuration of weapon is shown in above image.It can carry 1250 litre on its two inner sides of hard point on the wing and can carry 750 litres of fuel on centerline  hard point.Tejas external hard points is use to carry two high off bore sight R 73 missile, which has a range of 35 km and it uses IR sensor.R 73 is main close combat missile of Tejas.
Derby and Python will be integrated on Tejas as beyond visual range missile (WVR).The Astra missile will also be integrated on Tejas. As Tejas is a multi-role fighter it can carry the iron bomb, laser guide bomb(LGB) and anti-ship missile also.Tejas main BVR missile will be I-Derby ER  which has range excess of 100 km.
AVIONICS: Tejas has all glass cockpit and it has also night vision compatible.It has multi-function display for showing information, head up display(hud) for displaying important information it allows
pilot to fly without any need for seeing around in cockpit.tejas has an electronic warfare suit for better survivability.It includes radar warning receiver, automatic flare and chaff launcher.In future, it may be outfitted with the radar jammer also.
               Tejas has a multi-mode radar (MMR) which is developed from elta m2032 radar.the radar antenna is indigenous but is processing  end is developed by  Israel.its range is said to be about 100km for fighter size aircraft(RCS of 5m2).The radar has sub air to air mode , air to the ground mode or sar mapping mode and air to sea mode.it can track sea targets from 300km away.
RANGE:  Tejas is lightweight fighter its  so combat radius is little less than medium weight fighter aircraft.
                 combat radius :700 km (approx)
                 ferry range: 3000km

LCA NAVY: N- LCA:
       
There is a separate program along with the IAF Tejas to develop a naval carrier-borne fighter on the basis of the Tejas platform. It has a stronger landing gear for carrier operation.it has leading edge vortex controller (LEVCON),it helps naval Tejas for better low-speed handling and , approach speed and sink rate for arrested landing.there is plan for 5 naval prototypes out of which 3 will be mk1 and two mk2.NP1 had taken off from shore-based test facility , Goa last year end.with that event India becomes one of the elite countries to develop its indigenous carrier-borne fighter.

naval prototype 2(single seater)

                                           

                                                                    NP1 taking off from SBTF, Goa
                                    

video of the first flight of Tejas np1 from SBTF  

 TEJAS MK 1 P (mk 1.5):-

HAL has purposed air force with an improved mk1 of Tejas with improved avionics. According to HAL this version may be available for production from 2017 , this version will have downscaled 

      elta m 2052 radar and electronic warfare suit which is being developed for the Tejas mark 2. these upgrade will make Tejas best BVR fighter plane in  the lightweight category.