Will Tejas Fly into a Radiant Future?

In a major breakthrough for India’s home-grown fighter aircraft technology, the production version of the fourth generation combat aircraft Tejas LCA, built under the series production (SP), made a successful debut flight for 25 minutes in Bangalore on Sept 30, thereby proving its air worthiness. With this flight, Tejas has moved a step forward towards its final induction into the squadrons of the Indian Air Force (IAF) which is saddled with the problem of squadron depletion. However, Tejas which means radiance in the Indian classical language of Sanskrit, will need to cover some more ground especially in terms of weapons deployment before it becomes fit enough to be certified as a formidable fighting platform. The major achievement of Tejas is that it is now almost close to realizing the angle of attack to twenty six degrees which help the combat pilots undertake carefree manoeuvring, a key factor to meet the tactical needs of an aerial warfare. Over the next three months, Tejas will be test flown to fire a range of weapons including new missiles so that it becomes fit for IAF operations.

The SP version of Tejas, which was integrated at the modern assembly lines of the state owned aeronautical major HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) at Bangalore, would now undergo a series of trials under the Acceptance Performance Test before it is handed over to the IAF. This fourth generation, supersonic aircraft which received IOC (Initial Operational Clearance) last year is now winging its way towards FOC (Final Operational Clearance) slated for next year. According to PS Subramanyam, Programme Director of the Bangalore based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) which designed and developed Tejas, FOC of the fighter is expected in March 2015. Despite the cost escalation and time overrun, the Tejas programme has helped India put in place a solid foundation to undertake the development of technologically advanced fighter aircraft of the future.

In view of the excellent handling quality of the aircraft testified to by experts from across the world, Tejas now stands at a point where it will catapult into being one of IAF’s frontline fighters along with the Russian origin Su-30 MKI. Each new Tejas is expected to carry a price tag of INR 130-crore a piece, making it the most cost efficient fighter in its class. However HAL is pressing for an increased price of INR 160-crore so that the Tejas production becomes an economically viable option. IAF has so far ordered 20 Mark-1 version of Tejas and 20 MK-II version of the fighter. While Tejas MK-I is powered by GE-F-404-IN 20 engine capable of generating a thrust of 85-kN, the MK-II version of the fighter would be propelled by GE-414-IN S6 power plant capable of generating a thrust of 98-kN. It was originally planned to propel Tejas with the home grown Kaveri engine. But with the Bangalore based GTRE (Gas Turbine Engine Research Establishment) which took up the development of Kaveri power plant towards the close of 1980s failing to qualify engine for a thrust level suitable enough to operate Tejas, it was decided to power both the versions of Tejas with imported engines.

However, only a sufficiently large order could help HAL supply the fighter to Indian defence forces at a lower price. The problem facing HAL is that without any further orders from defence forces, its well equipped assembly line could remain idle. The new assembly line for Tejas integration has been put in place at a cost of INR 1,556-crore. On its part, IAF has already made it clear that further orders will be placed only for the advanced MK-II version whose development would take a couple of years. As envisaged now, HAL is gearing up for the production of eight Tejas fighters annually by 2015-16. HAL Chairman R K Tyagi has however revealed that it is eventually planned to produce 16 fighters per year at the Bangalore facility. As pointed out by the New Delhi based aerospace expert Pushpinder Singh, “The Tejas will never turn out to be a world class fighter if the IAF does not order and operate it in large numbers.” Clearly and apparently, only a continuous feedback from IAF about the operational qualities of the fighter including its shortcomings could result in the refinement and improvement of the aircraft to turn it into a combat platform without an equal in its class.

All said and done, the biggest hope for the future of Tejas programme lies is the unwavering commitment of the present government to defence self reliance. Indeed, with a slew of pro-active measures to pep up the Indian defence production sector, the government has clearly given the signal that it means business - a serious one at that. In particular, the “Make in India” campaign could give a big boost to India’s far from resurgent defence production sector. And Tejas programme could script a bright future on the back of the synergy derived from the “Swadeshi measures” being implemented by the Indian Government.

Yet another positive development that augurs well for the future of the Tejas programme is the possibility of India deciding against clinching the deal with the French aerospace enterprise Dassault Aviation whose Rafale has emerged front runner in the multi-billion dollar MMRCA (Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft) contest. Factors such as the escalating cost, technology transfer and life cycle cost issues as well as the thrust on self reliance could very well spell the doom of MMRCA that was once described as mother of all “defence deals.” In the event of MMRCA deal getting scrapped, the best option would be to speed up the induction of MK-I version of Tejas by accelerating the pace of tis production. Of course, this should be followed by fast tracking the development and production of MK-II version of the fighter. Clearly and apparently, upgradation of the fighter into the Mark-II category will be a complex task involving a lot of tinkering and fine tuning of the original design. The biggest advantage for IAF is that it will have many advanced features including a new flight control computer, upgraded avionics, retractable in flight refuelling, on-board oxygen generation, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, new electronic warfare suite and the ability to sustain supersonic speed in level flight. Though not an equal to Rafale, Tejas could prove to be a force multiplier for IAF.

And of course as a stop gap arrangement, IAF could continue to rely on the air superiority fighter Su-30 MKI to meet its strategic needs. Upgraded SU-30 MKI aircraft can to some extent help fill the void created by the possible cancellation of MMRCA deal. There is no denying the point that the air superiority Su-30 MKI is capable of providing features comparable to and in some cases better than Rafale.  Before the end of this decade, IAF will have in its squadron the entire lot of 272 Su-30 MKI it has ordered. And the Advanced  Medium Combat Aircraft(AMCA) that ADA would develop as a follow up to Tejas programme will have stealth features and super cruise capabilities that a fifth generation fighter normally incorporates. If ADA succeeds in fast tracking its development, AMCA could become a reality by the end of this decade. According to ADA, AMCA will have ”net-centric warfare, vehicle management, data fusion, decision aids, integrated modular avionics, internal carriage of weapons, signature control with sharpening for low observability, AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, IR (infrared) search and track, supersonic persistence, high speed weapons release and thrust vectoring”. The expertise that India would acquire from this participation in the Indo-Russian Fifth generation Fighter Aircraft Project will give a quickening impetus to the development of AMCA. At the end of the day, there is no need to shed tears if MMRCA deal gets a quite burial.

The investment on Tejas development estimated at INR 17,000-crore is considered peanuts when compared to the developmental cost of fighter platforms of similar capabilities in other parts of the world. Though it took almost three decades for Tejas to become a reality, biggest achievement was that the fighter was realized without a solitary accident or any major incident. It is really unique and unprecedented in the annals of fighter aircraft development. Incidentally, the Tejas development programme was taken up with a view to replace the aging and obsolete Soviet era Mig-21 fighters in service with IAF. This smallest, light weight, single engine, single seat multi role fighter marks a giant leap for India in the area of state of the art fighter technology. The successful qualification and induction of Tejas into IAF would open up a range of possibilities for the Indian industry to come out with world class military products.

However DRDO’s claim about being in a position to export Tejas appears rather premature at this point of time. To begin with, the aircraft is yet to enter service. Secondly India clearly lacks infrastructure good enough for the mass production of the fighter to meet the export demand. Thirdly, India will not be in a position to provide life cycle support to the exported aircraft with the existing resources. As pointed out by S. Krishnaswamy, a former chief of IAF, the country will have to be realistic as for exporting the aircraft.

The author is a freelance writer on defence and aerospace subjects. Views expressed are personal.