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Reign of Naval aviators
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LCA Navy programme will deliver operational LCA Navy Mk-2 fighter only a decade from now |
The Naval LCA being rolled out for public view
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By Atul Chandra
Bangalore: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) designed Light Combat
Aircraft (Navy) is a highly ambitious project to develop the world’s smallest
and lightest, carrier borne fighter with an unstable delta configuration and
digital Fly by Wire (FBW). The LCA Navy must cater for a low approach speed, Ski
Jump take off capability, with critical management of Angle of Attack (AoA), and
have a structure capable of absorbing high vertical speeds while landing on an
aircraft carrier deck. For ADA, with no experience in designing such an
aircraft, the task has proved to be monumental and the first flight of the LCA
Navy Trainer Prototype (NP-1) has been delayed by over a year. It is expected to
take place only in the first half of this year. |
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The delay
cannot be good news for the Indian Navy which, committed as it is to
indigenisation, can now realistically expect the LCA Trainer variant to achieve
Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by 2016, with Final Operational Clearance
(FOC) expected two years later, by 2018. This would actually be very good going
as ADA would have delivered an operational navy trainer with which selected
aircrew could begin conversion training aboard an aircraft carrier.
Admiral Nirmal Verma speaking at the roll out of NP-1 stated that “The LCA Navy
aircrew should have carried out conversion flying on the LCA Navy Trainer by
2014, as the indigenous aircraft carrier presently under construction in Kochi
would also enter service at the same time.” As per a report by the Comptroller
and Audit General (CAG) last year, as of December 2009, only 35 per cent work on
the indigenous carrier had been completed. Compared to NP-1, the LCA Navy
Fighter Prototype (NP-2) will feature revised air intakes for better engine
performance at low speeds, full navy-specified avionics suite and increased
internal fuel. The programme, as it stands today, needs more than a decade of
design, development and flight testing before being able to trap on deck as an
operational, all weather fleet defence fighter, flying off an aircraft carrier.
Former chairman (HAL) Ashok Nayak had requested an early order for Limited
Series Production (LSP) production of the LCA Navy Trainer, as a lead time of
three years is required, to manufacture the aircraft. These orders would then be
dovetailed into HAL’s existing orders. As it stands now, the LCA Navy Trainer
will have only limited operational relevance.
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