Hindu: The three players most tied up with the Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme – the user (the Indian Air Force), the designer Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and the manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) – will come together on Saturday for their monthly review meeting. But this month’s Bangalore meeting will be anything but routine. On the flying front, the LCA’s PV-1 (prototype vehicle) is expected to undertake its first low speed taxi run after the integration of drop tanks. The low speed taxi run where the aircraft is pushed to almost its take-off speed but does not actually take off, is the prelude to the actual first flight with drop tanks. The drop tanks are expendable and jettisonable external fuel tanks carried by the aircraft giving it longer endurance and range, enabling pilots to fly longer. An important milestone for the LCA programme, the first flight with drop tanks could happen next week. A successful run with drop tanks will enable ADA to move into the LCA’s weaponisation programme, where the R 73 air-to-air missile and bombs will be integrated onto the aircraft. The LCA is already flying with dummy missiles. But it will be issues on the ground that will take centre stage. With questions over the LCA’s combat performance especially climb, acceleration and how fast it could turn at certain altitudes having cropped up during the recent sea trails at Arakonnam, a detailed assessment of what can be managed within the time frame will have to be undertaken. Sources said the IAF would have to be asked to lower certain aspects of their air staff requirements for the LCA, which at the moment were unrealistic. According to the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Chief Controller Research and Development (Aeronautics and Material Science) D. Banerjee, there is no doubt that the aircraft and engine have to improve, but any improvements will have to suit the time frame.“The IAF will have to be asked how many aircraft they take with the current performance.”Dr. Banerjee under whom ADA functions, told The Hindu that improvements can be made to the aero dynamism of the aircraft by ‘technical cleaning’ to remove drag, and also improving the LCA’s propulsion system. ̶ 0;We knew when the GE 404 (engine) was installed that there will be issues. The question is can we look for an alternative engine? Can we improve the performance by using the GE 404 IN20? These questions have to be answered.”Commenting on the long delayed Kaveri engine, which if ready could have solved the propulsion problem, Dr. Banerjee said that while it was operating on full design capacity on dry thrust (50 kilo Newton), it was only achieving 90 per cent aft burner thrust (80 kN). It was also 15 per cent overweight, an issue that “was killing it”. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment that is developing the Kaveri is still looking to find a partner who will bring in technology to build the hot end section (turbine and high pressure compression) of the Kaveri.Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Nak Brown will head the IAF’s team at Saturday’s review meeting.
