An Assignment on Project Management

On
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
LCA TEJAS

HAL LCA TEJAS

HAL Tejas is an Indian single-engine, delta wing, multirole light fighter designed by
the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
programme, which began in the 1980s to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters. In 2003, the
LCA was officially named "Tejas".
The Tejas is the second supersonic fighter developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL) after the HAL HF-24 Marut. As of 2016, the Tejas Mark 1 was in production for the
Indian Air Force (IAF) and the naval version was undergoing flight tests for Indian Navy
(IN). The projected requirement for the IAF was 200 single-seat fighters and 20 twin-seat
trainers, while the IN expected to operate atleast 40 single-seat fighters. The first Tejas IAF
unit, No. 45 Squadron IAF Flying Daggers was formed on 1 July 2016 with two aircraft.
Initially stationed at Bangalore, 45 Squadron was later relocated to its home base at Sulur,
Tamil Nadu.
History of Project- In 1969, the Indian government accepted the recommendation by its
Aeronautics Committee that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) should design and
develop a fighter aircraft around a proven engine. Based on a 'Tactical Air Support Aircraft'
ASR markedly similar to that for the Marut. HAL completed design studies in 1975, but the
project fell through due to inability to procure the selected "proven engine" from a foreign
manufacturer and the IAF's requirement for an air superiority fighter with secondary air
support and interdiction capability remained unfulfilled. In 1983, IAF realised the need for
an Indian combat aircraft for two primary purposes. The principal and most obvious goal was
to replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters, which had been the mainstay of the IAF since the
1970s. The "Long Term Re-Equipment Plan 1981" noted that the MiG-21s would be
approaching the end of their service lives by the mid-1990s, and that by 1995, the IAF would
lack 40 percent of the aircraft needed to fill its projected force structure requirements. [23] The
LCA programme's other main objective was an across-the-board advancement of India's
domestic aerospace industry.
In 1984, the Indian government chose to establish the Aeronautical Development Agency
(ADA) to manage the LCA programme. While the Tejas is often described as a product of
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), responsibility for its development belongs to ADA, a
national consortium of over 100 defence laboratories, industrial organisations, and academic
institutions with HAL being the principal contractor.

LCA Programme- Phase 1 commenced in April 1993, and focused on "proof of concept"

and comprised the design development and testing (DDT) of two technology demonstrator
aircraft which were named as TD-1 and TD-2. This would be followed by the production of
two prototype vehicles (PV-1 and PV-2), TD-1 finally flew on 4 January 2001. FSED
Programme Phase-I was successfully completed in March 2004 and cost ₹2,188 crore.
The NAL's CLAW team completed integration of the flight control laws with the FCS
software performing flawlessly for over 50 hours of pilot testing on TD-1, resulting in the
aircraft being cleared for flight in January 2001. The automatic flight control system (AFCS)
has been praised by all test pilots.[40] Phase 2 commenced in November 2001,[23] and consisted
of the manufacturing of three more prototype vehicles (PV-3, PV-4 and PV-5), leading to the
development of the final version that would join the air force and the navy and 8 Limited
Series Production (LSP) aircraft, and establishment of infrastructure for producing 8 aircraft
per year.[30] The phase cost ₹3,301.78 crore, and an additional amount of ₹2,475.78 crore was
given for induction into Indian Air Force by obtaining IOC and FOC. The total cost for
development of Tejas (including PDP, Phase 1 and Phase 2) was ₹7,965.56 crore as of
August 2013.

Project Lifecycle/Timeline-
Initiating-
 1983- DRDO obtained permission to initiate a programme to design and develop a
Light Combat Aircraft
 1984-Government of India set up Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in 1984
as the nodal agency for managing and developing the LCA.
 1985-IAF submitted Air Staff Requirements (ASR) for LCA in October 1985. This
was initiated by the then Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif.
.
Planning-
 1986- Government allocates ₹5.75 billion (equivalent to ₹59 billion or
US$850 million in 2018) for the LCA programme. Programme to develop an
indigenous power plant (engine)-Kaveri[1] was launched at GTRE
 1987-Project definition commenced in October 1987 with French Dassault-
Breguet Aviation as consultants.[1] Dassault-Breguet were to assist in the design and
systems integration of the aircraft, with 30 top-flight engineers reported to have flown
to India to act as technical advisers to IADA, in exchange for $100m.
 1989-Government review committee expresses confidence in LCA programme. It was
decided that the programme will be carried out in two phases.
Execution-
 1990-Design of LCA was finalised as a small delta winged relaxed static stability
aircraft. Phase 1 of the development was commenced to create the proof of concept
system. Financial problems within India prevented full scale operations from starting.
 1993-Full funding started from April 1993 full-scale development work for phase 1
started in June.
 1995- First technology demonstrator, TD-1, rolled out on 17 November 1995 and was
followed by TD-2 in 1998. However, technical problems in flight control systems and
structural deficiencies plagued the prototypes and they remained grounded.
 1997-Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) for LCA design work started at HAL's Hyderabad
division and the LRDE.
 2001-LCA's maiden flight successfully completed by Technology Demonstrator TD-
1, on 2001. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee renames LCA as Tejas.
Development assistance sought from Snecma on the Kaveri engine
 2002- TD-2 makes a successful maiden flight. MMR system was reported to be not
working as per the criteria laid down in requirements.
 2003- Tejas crossed the sonic barrier for the first time. PV makes a successful maiden
flight.
 2005- PV-2 makes a successful maiden flight.
 2006- The PV-2 went supersonic again, but this time in a weaponised state. The PV-3
flew for the first time for 27 minutes at an altitude of 2.5 km and at a speed of Mach
0.8.
 2007- The first Limited Series Production LCA (LSP-1) made its first flight and it
reached a speed of Mach 1.1.
 2008- Tejas second Limited Series Production LCA (LSP-2) made its first flight and
it reached a speed of Mach 1.1, LCA Tejas prototypes PV-2 and PV-3 underwent hot
weather flight trials
 2009- Tejas completed 1000 flights. Two seater (Trainer) version of Tejas (PV-5)
made its maiden flight on 26 Nov 2009.
 2010- LCA Tejas LSP-3, LSP-4 Makes Maiden Flight. LSP-5 Made maiden flight and
goes supersonic.
 2011- Certification for the Release to Services with assured safety and specified
performance for IOC.
 2012- LCA Tejas LSP-7 Makes Maiden Flight. 1st Naval LCA prototype NP-1 makes
maiden flight.
  2013- LSP 8 had a successful maiden test flight at Bangalore.
 2014- LSPs 3, 5 and 7 successfully complete advanced weapons trials.
Project Evaluation and Closure-
 2015- IAF gets first indigenously built light combat aircraft Tejas – The LCA Tejas
Series Production-1 (SP1) was handed over by Defence Minister Manohar
Parrikar to Indian Air Force.
 2017- Tejas SP1 and SP2 (Mk. 1) formally inducted into IAF. First squadron of two
aircraft raised at Bengaluru; remaining 18 aircraft to be supplied by 2018.
 2018- Tejas refuels in mid-air for the first time, with 1,900 kg (4,200 lb) fuel transfer from an
Ilyushin Il-78MKI.
 2019- Tejas was awarded Final Operational Clearance.

 Prototypes- TD-1 (KH2001) – 4 January 2001

 TD-2 (KH2002) – 6 June 2002

Prototype Vehicles (PV)

 PV-1 (KH2003) – 25 November 2003

 PV-2 (KH2004) – 1 December 2005
 PV-3 (KH2005) – 1 December 2006.
 PV-5 (KH-T2009) – 26 November 2009 – Fighter/Trainer Variant
 PV-6 (KH-T2010) – 8 November 2014 – Fighter/Trainer Variant.[75]

Naval Prototypes (NP)

 NP-1 (KH-T3001) – Two-seat Naval variant for carrier operations. Rolled out in July
2010.[178] NP-1 made its first flight on 27 April 2012.[68]
 NP-2 (KH3002) – First flight on 7 February 2015 with ski-jump take-off and arrested
landing required in STOBAR carrier.[179]

Limited Series Production (LSP) aircraft

 LSP-1 (KH2011) – 25 April 2007. This LCA is powered by F404-F2J3 Engine.[180]

 LSP-2 - This is the first LCA fitted with F404-IN20 engine
 LSP-3 - 23 April 2010. The first aircraft to have the Hybrid MMR radar
 LSP-4 - The first aircraft that was flown in the configuration that will be delivered to
the Indian Air Force In addition to the Hybrid MMR, the aircraft flew with
a Countermeasure Dispensing System and an identify friend or foe electronic system.
 LSP-5- IOC standard, with all sensors including night lighting in the cockpit, and an
auto-pilot.
 LSP-6- Not built.
 LSP-7- APU intake has been aerodynamically reshaped.
 LSP-8- First flight trial completed in March 2013. LSP 8 is the version that will go
for production.

Planned Production Variant- Tejas Mark 1 (IOC standard), Tejas Mark 1 (FOC standard),
Tejas Mark 1 Navy, Tejas Trainer, Tejas Mark 1A, Tejas Mark 2, Tejas Mark 2 Navy.

What went wrong- (where it failed)?

India's Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project, in the works for over three decades, came under
severe criticism from CAG in 2018 as it pointed out that its Mark-I version had 53
"significant shortfalls" which have reduced its operational capabilities as well as
survivability.
LCA Mark-I, which achieved Initial Operational Clearance (December, 2013) has significant
shortfalls (53 permanent waivers/concessions" in meeting ASR (Air Staff Requirements) as a
result of which it will have reduced operational capabilities and reduced survivability,
thereby limiting its operational employability when inducted into IAF squadron.
Listing the shortcomings, the CAG said that the LCA Mark- I fails to meet the electronic
warfare capabilities sought by IAF as the Self-Protection Jammer could not be fitted on the
aircraft due to space constraints. Also, it said that the Radar Warning Receiver/Counter
Measure Dispensing System fitted on the aircraft had raised performance concerns which are
yet to be overcome till January this year.
CAG said that the manufacturing facilities at HAL cater presently to the production of only
four aircraft per annum as against the envisaged requirement of eight due to delays in
procuring plant and machinery, tools and also construction of production hangars, which
would further impact production of LCA and induction into IAF squadrons.

What should be done?

In view of the complexity of the technology involved, while deviating from the approved
plan of development, ADA should consult the user (Air HQ) and obtain prior approval of
sanctioning authority/ministry for such deviations so as to minimise waivers and concessions
at the time of acceptance by the user (IAF),
MoD should award contract to production agency at an appropriate stage of development of a
system/equipment in order to avoid the necessity of extending delivery schedule due to a
delay in the development of the system, apart from the resultant blocking of funds/inventory
and to overcome obsolescence of the components procured by the production agency.
The agencies -- DRDO, ADA and HAL -- should undertake the projects strictly in conformity
with the specifications projected by IAF, who should be involved right from the planning
stage so as to ensure timely achievement of their requirements.

Indigenisation efforts should be made in coordination with all the agencies involved by
having a well-defined indigenisation plan and a clear roadmap for developing a quality
product as per the requirement so as to avoid import substitution.

So, what is done for improvement of LCA Tejas Project?

Improved serviceability, faster weapon loading time, enhanced survivability, better electronic
warfare suit and AESA radar significantly enhancing its capability.
The two most challenging tasks involve equipping the fighter with “active electronically
scanned array” (AESA) radar, in place of the current manually scanned Israeli Elta EL/M
2032 radar; and mounting a “self-protection jammer” (SPJ) on a pod under the Tejas’ wing.
Given the advanced state of the art technologies such as, BVR(beyond visual range missile)
and helmet mounted cueing, intuitively this will mean fighter manoeuvrability would become
less of a priority.
In addition to it new production facilities are going to open in Karnataka to double the per
year production which will cut short the delay happening in delivery of Aircraft.
References-
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/cag-picks-holes-in-lca-project-says-it-fails-to-
meet-iaf-requirements/articleshow/47204118.cms?from=mdr

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/hal-rolls-out-16th-tejas-fighter-for-iaf-
fleet/articleshow/68560914.cms?from=mdr

https://www.livefistdefence.com/2019/02/never-a-more-urgent-time-to-replace-the-iafs-mig-21s-
with-indias-tejas.html