Author: Fakir Chand in Bangalore
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: May 3, 2003
URL: http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/may/04lca.htm
Today will be a red-letter day for
the Indian aeronautics industry as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
christens the supersonic Light Combat Aircraft and rolls out its first
pilot vehicle in Bangalore.
It will also be the first time that
the prime minister will witness a flight display of the LCA's two prototypes,
Technology Demonstrator I and Technology Demonstrator II, which have already
made several successful test flights in the last two years.
"We are waiting for the prime minister
to pick one of the 20 Sanskrit names shortlisted," Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar
told rediff.com on Saturday. Some of the names such as Garuda, Jataayu,
and Teer have their roots in Hindu mythology and the epics of Ramayan and
Mahabharat.
"A decision has been taken to give
Indian names to all indigenously developed military hardware and the move
to christen the LCA is part of that process," Air Marshal Rajkumar, director
of the Aeronautical Development Agency in Bangalore, said.
Group Captain Rakesh Bhaduria will
fly the TD-I, while Squadron Leader Sunit Krishna will fly the TD-II. They
will also exhibit special manoeuvres with the new aircraft to the select
gathering.
"After the two prototypes are flown
for 10-15 minutes, the four variants of the Advance Light Helicopter will
be airborne. It will be followed by a demonstration flight of the Intermediate
Jet Trainer, designed and developed by HAL," the air marshal said. Squadron
Leader Baldev Singh will fly the IJT.
Four variants of the indigenously
built ALH have already been inducted into the three defence services (army,
air force, and navy) and the Coast Guard. Defence Minister George Fernandes
christened the ALH Dhruv, which is the Indian name for the Pole Star, and
is also the name of an ancient sage.
Later, Vajpayee will roll out the
LCA's first pilot vehicle (PV-I), which will take to the skies in July
this year.
The PV-I is lighter than the two
prototypes with modifications in its fuselage, the ADA director said. Its
composite materials are more sophisticated while its avionics and electronics
have been upgraded for test flights later this year by air force pilots.
Besides Vajpayee, Fernandes, Chief
of Air Staff S Krishnaswamy, Fernandes's scientific adviser Dr V K Aatre,
and other dignitaries will witness the flying display. Deputy Prime Minister
Lal Kishenchand Advani, who will be in Bangalore on Sunday for another
function, is also likely to witness the demonstrations of the LCA, ALH,
and IJT.
Designed and developed by the ADA
in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation
and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the LCA will go into a limited series
production of six aircraft and become operational by 2007.
Phase I of the project is likely
to cost Rs 2,188 crore (approximately US $460.62 million). The cost of
production and weapon systems will be factored in under phase II during
the current five-year plan.
"The weapons-graded LCA will be
inducted into the IAF during 2007-08," Air Marshal Rajkumar said. "It is
being built to carry a weapon load of 4 tons, including air-to-air missiles
and air-to-ground munitions."
Conceived in 1983, the LCA project
has had a very long gestation period with several extensions. The project
was delayed further because of sanctions imposed by the US in the wake
of the May 1998 nuclear tests.
With the lifting of sanctions after
September 11, 2001, American firms have resumed collaboration with Indian
defence organisations to provide avionics, electronics, and engines for
the fighter aircraft.
According to HAL chairman N R Mohanty,
the cost of basic capital equipment for limited production of six LCAs
will be about Rs 100 crore (US $21.05 million).
The LCA is meant to replace the
ageing fleet of Soviet-era MiG-21s, which have a poor flight-safety record
and have been nicknamed 'flying coffins' because of the number of crashes
in recent years.
