Indian Stealth Fighter... soon.
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BANGALORE: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the aircraft design house of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bangalore has formed a core team to design a medium combat aircraft (MCA), an advanced multi-role fighter with stealth capabilities
Besides incorporating many features of the indigenous single-engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) that is undergoing flight trials, the MCA will use radar-absorbent materials to reduce detection by radars, making it a stealth fighter.
The new generation fighter is expected to replace the Jaguar and the Mirage-2000 fleet of the Indian Air Force in the coming decades. “The design work is getting ready. It should be completed in a year,” DRDO sources told DNA.
The advanced aircraft will be build with extensive use of composites and have smart sensors like micro electronic mechanical systems (Mems), that can automatically detect strains or weaknesses in the airframe or wings. “The IAF is giving a lot of inputs for the design,” sources said.
Once the design is frozen, the DRDO would present the project to the government for sanction of the MCA project estimated to cost about Rs 6000 to Rs 8000 crore. The MCA will be a 12 tonne weight class fighter with a maximum take-off weight of about 18 tonnes.
It is to be powered by two “thrust vector’’ engines that facilitate controlling the flight by controlling its thrust, giving the pilot greater manoeuvrability.
Only two aircraft-the Russian-built Sukhoi30 MkI, now manufactured in India under license and the American FA/22 raptor fighter-are powered by thrust vector engines.
But there are snags in developing Kaveri, the indigenous engine that will be used for the LCA and upgraded for the MCA. The DRDO has invited bids from global engine makers to participate in building the engine.
“The stealth features and engine are two areas that we are weak. We will bridge this gap,” sources said.
Many systems and technologies developed in India for the LCA, Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) and the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) like the flight control systems and composite wings will be used in the MCA.
“It will take about six to eight years for the first aircraft to be developed,” sources said.
The LCA is still under developmental trials with three prototypes completing over 460 test flights with an American GE-404 engine and the maiden flight of the prototype vehicle -2 (PV-2), expected by the year-end.
Four more aircraft, including a twin-seater trainer and a naval variant will also be developed in the next few years. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is building eight LCAs as limited series production (LSP) to be ready by 2008, while the IAF has committed to place order for 40 aircraft to be inducted in its fleet.
http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=8110 -
Once the technology has advanced to detect air tuburlence and frequency vibrations, all current stealth technology will be rendered useless...
How do you think they shot down the F117 in the balkan war? -
an imperfect nite......Originally posted by BillyBong:Once the technology has advanced to detect air tuburlence and frequency vibrations, all current stealth technology will be rendered useless...
How do you think they shot down the F117 in the balkan war?
overcast sky...the black nighthawk stood out against the background... -
Actually, once you have visual sighting of an F-117, any anti-air weapon with radar guidance can actually bring it down.Originally posted by Rockhound:an imperfect nite......
overcast sky...the black nighthawk stood out against the background... -
thats why theyre lethal in pitch black skies....Originally posted by BillyBong:Actually, once you have visual sighting of an F-117, any anti-air weapon with radar guidance can actually bring it down. -
the country hardly have enough to eat yet spend so much on military.
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Has India built a successful conventional fighter already?
If not, how can it jump from zero to hero - so to speak... Or maybe the stealth component means that the fighter can be less capable as it is able to hide from radar? -
sounds interestin...indians r quite advance in technology...or maybe IT
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You would definitely have trouble spotting one in the dark, advanced or not.
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my guess is that they used ultra low frequency radar, whose wavelength is larger than the F-117 itself to detect it.Originally posted by BillyBong:Once the technology has advanced to detect air tuburlence and frequency vibrations, all current stealth technology will be rendered useless...
How do you think they shot down the F117 in the balkan war? -
I read somewhere thats one of the reasons. Other reasons being it being wet and having its bomb bays open.Originally posted by sgFish:my guess is that they used ultra low frequency radar, whose wavelength is larger than the F-117 itself to detect it. -
The real stealth i wanna see is whats unable to be detected by the naked eye.. or radar. Zero radar reflection. Temporal distortion capabilities.
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So India is one of the three countries that got hold of the top secret information of the B2?
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2005-10-27T203916Z_01_KRA773533_RTRUKOC_0_US-CRIME-STEALTH.xml -
Good luck with that.Originally posted by BadzMaro:The real stealth i wanna see is whats unable to be detected by the naked eye.. or radar. Zero radar reflection. Temporal distortion capabilities. -
Originally posted by Obersturmfuhrer:Good luck with that.
anywae, was jus tinking? y don they do a "half-stealth" design?
something like the raptor?