Light Combat Aircraft may be 'tested anytime now'

BANGALORE, JAN. 3. The indigenously-developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), is in the crucial phase of trials and its first prototype can be ``tested anytime now,'' sources at the Aeronautical Development Agency here have said.

The LCA, considered one of the most advanced multi- role fighter planes in the world, is also expected to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by 2004, the sources said.

With the induction of the LCA at an earlier date than what was scheduled, the prospects of the naval version of the aircraft would also materialise sooner than expected.

While reports by the Defence Ministry to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence stated that the LCA could be operational only by 2012, scientists from various organisations involved with the Rs. 3000-crore project are in the crucial phase of trials before the first prototype is tested ``any time now''.

The scientists are elated over the prospects of the LCA being inducted eight years before what was estimated. According to a senior ADA scientist, decision on the sanctioning of the naval LCA project would be made only after the satisfactory results of the first LCA prototype tests.

However, the advancement of the deadline for the LCA induction into the IAF, has opened up the prospects of an earlier sanctioning of the naval LCA project which would be a slight variation of the LCA, keeping the Navy's requirements in mind. ``As of now, only the initial studies of the naval LCA project have been submitted to the Defence Ministry and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

``They have approved these studies. But once it is sanctioned, it might take another six years or so before the induction,'' the senior ADA scientist said.

The edge that will be gained by the IAF with the induction of the LCA is seen from the array of sophisticated technological systems installed in the aircraft to provide a competitive fire power and pilot-support in a combat scenario.

The advanced multi-mode radar installed in the LCA takes care of detection, tracking, terrain avoidance and delivery of guided weapons.

The track-while-scan feature keeps track of multiple targets and also allows simultaneous multiple target engagement, while the pulse-doppler gives the look-down-shoot-down capability. In the electronic warfare suite, electromagnetic and electro-optic receivers and jammers provide the necessary ``soft- kill'' capability, sources said.

Two multi-function displays present the required information to the pilot. Critical information needed in close combat situations is flashed onto the head-up display. Hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) concept ensures availability of every control needed during a critical combat situation, all under the fingers of the pilot.

The new-generation glass cockpit of the LCA incorporates the latest avionics systems and an effective pilot- vehicle interface. A bubble canopy provides excellent all-round view to the pilot, which is very critical during close air-to-air combat, sources said.

The LCA's environmental control system (ECS) is designed to give a high degree of comfort to the pilot and provides adequate cooling to all onboard electronic systems. The compressed air for pressurisation of cockpit, radar and fuel tank is also supplied by the ECS.

The digital fly-by-wire flight control system is another advanced feature. The unstable configuration demands a highly efficient integrated flight control system (IFCS) to fly the aircraft. Control law resident in the flight control computer synthesises inputs from the pilot's stick and rudder pedals with flight parameters from inertial and air data measurements to generate commands to the actuators that move various control surfaces.

Accurate navigation and guidance for the aircraft is realised through an inertial navigation system (INS) with provision for global positioning system (GPS) integration. Ground mapping feature, frequency agility and other techniques make the radar truly state-of-the-art.

The LCA avionics architecture is configured around a three-bus system (Mil-Std-1553B) in a distributed environment. The heart of the system is a 32-bit mission computer which performs mission- oriented computations, flight management, reconfiguration/redundancy management and in-flight system self- tests.

In compliance with Mil-Std-1521 and 2167a standards, the ADA language has been adopted for mission computer software, the sources said.

- PTI

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