In the early 1980s, India, well aware that the Mig-21s, Mig-23s, and a variety of other aging Russian fighters composing a vast percentage of their air power would soon grow obsolete, decided to produce a new fighter to replace the MiG-21 "Fishbeds" legacy. The new aircraft would be of indigenous design, and its development would fall under the care of India's own Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL. The aircraft that would spawn from the program was designated the Light Combat Aircraft, (LCA), and it would be one of the worlds lightest, yet most capable dedicated multi-role aircraft of all time. The HAL Tejas, as it was named, will continue to serve for many years in the future due to being packed with a vast amount of technology and features despite its small size.
The humble beginnings of the project can be traced back to 1983, when India both wanted a replacement for the Mig-21 in the coming future, as well as a replacement that could serve their needs. It was decided that building an indigenous fighter would be the best course of action, since it could be built from the ground up to India's specifications. The ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) corporation, based in Bangalore, was established to oversee all of the development work before the aircraft could go into production. ADA designed the fighter, tested scale models, and in 2001 the first of the LCA technological demonstrators flew in a distinctive white paint scheme with traces of green and red shooting across the wings of the craft. However, the program was still successful at this point and the LCA managed to make it to the prototype stage, the first of which flew as the PV-1 (Prototype Vehicle 1) in 2003. Further prototypes were built, though production itself did not begin until 2007. HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) was tasked with overseeing the distribution and servicing of the aircraft after it left the prototype stage. When the aircraft went into full production in the late 2000s, it was renamed the HAL Tejas (Radiance). Each Tejas will cost approximately 30 million dollars (American).
Similar to Dassaults Mirage-series aircraft, the philosophy behind the Tejas was to cram the most technology, features and performance into the smallest possible airframe. Even the airframe itself was made using mainly composite materials, to keep it durable, as well as light. The Tejas's delta wings are the most imposing aesthetic feature, and instead of having a pure triangular shape, their design is closer to that of the Saab Viggen's wings. The wings are high-set, to allow for STOL (Short Take-Off/Landing) capabilities, which will allow the Tejas to operate on shorter runways than many of its contemporaries. Power is supplied courtesy of a single GTX-35VS Kaveri turbofan engine. However, Kaveri engines were in short supply during the Tejas's early production run, and most aircraft were fitted with General Electric F404 engines, as used on early F-18 Hornet models while waiting for the Kaveri. However, the most important components of the Tejas are not the engine or airframe design, but rather the technology suites it carries, which will prove decisive in any combat encounters.
A fly-by-wire system, courtesy of Lockheed-Martin, allows the Tejas to perform more complicated maneuvers while still being able to retain stability. Terrain-following radar and multi-mode radar will allow the Tejas to engage a variety of targets at the flip of a switch. Since the Tejas belongs to the Multi-Role class of aircraft, all of its sytems, from radar to weapons to the airframe design itself have been adapted to perform the vast array of duties it will have to undertake.
The drooping nose and all-glass cockpit give the pilot an excellent forward and surface view, although rearview is slightly limited. The Tejas's HUD allows the pilot to monitor key systems while keeping an eye on the situations going on outside his aircraft. Another modern feature of the cockpit is the TV-screen arrangement as opposed to the multitude of dials commonplace on older aircraft. A HOTAS (Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick) system, along with the HUD, ergonomic pilot-friendly cockpit and avionics systems will help to minimize pilot reaction time, giving the Tejas the upper hand against all 4th generation aircraft and most 4.5th generation aircraft. However, the most effective feature of the Tejas is its impressive array of ordnance.
A 23mm GSh-23 cannon with 220 rounds at its disposal is mounted near the intakes for close range combat. Advance long-range missiles such as the AA-12 Adder and the beyond-visual-range Astra missiles can be mounted on any of seven hardpoints, while short-range AA-11 Archer missiles can be used for self-defence, against helicopters, or in dogfights. An additional hardpoint mounted off to the side of the fuselage can hold a laser-designator pod to increase accuracy against surface targets. Rockets, drop-tanks, AG (Air to Ground) missiles, and anti-ship missiles may also be carried into battle. Cluster, laser-guided and dumb (Unguided) bombs have also been confirmed to be utilizable by the Tejas.
In addition to India's Mig-21 Fishbeds, Mig-23 Floggers, and Mig-27 Flogger D/Js nearing the end of their service life, India's Sea Harriers are faring no better. Although they do give India VTOL/STOL capabilities and tremendous striking power, they are no match for most modern 4th+ generation aircraft, as well as having very outdated avionics suites. HAL has been recently offered a contract to build a variant of the Tejas, to serve in India's navy and replace its Sea Harriers. The Tejas with its small size, multi-role capabilities and modernized avionics suites shows tremendous potential as a naval aircraft. The Tejas could be stored in large numbers on aircraft carriers and could defend the carrier while being able to conduct offensive strike missions against enemy targets, be they aerial, naval, or surface-bound. The only key difference between the proposed naval Tejas and the land-based Tejas is the arrester hook and the collapsible surfaces necessary for carrier operations. The Naval version of the Tejas will also only cost 1 million US dollars more than the landlocked variant. Although no Tejas variants have yet seen combat, they were prominently displayed at India's now legendary 2011 airshow, alongside American, Russian, and European fighter aircraft.
Written by: Pace51