NEWS:
Within months of induction of the Tejas fighter jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF), the fleet has been grounded because of problems with their landing gear. Sources in the Ministry of Defence say that IAF pilots encountered problems with the landing gear of Tejas twice, first in Bengaluru and the second time in Jaisalmer after a round of weapon trials at the Pokhran range. After the second incident, the Tejas fighter jet was flown from Jaisalmer to Bengaluru with its landing gear extended. The upshot: the entire fleet consisting of fighters with the IAF, the naval variant, trainers and prototypes have been grounded. Sources in the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at Bengaluru confirmed that this particular snag was the cause for the grounding of the Tejas fleet.

VIEWS:
The effort of the Indian aerospace industry to produce an indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) of the fourth-generation for the IAF and the Indian Navy is in the news again; but for the wrong reasons. Conceived in 1982, the second project coming after the not-very-successful platform HF-24, to design, develop and manufacture the indigenous LCA actually got off the ground in 1993 and the Technology Demonstrator I undertook its maiden flight on January 4, 2001. The platform was subsequently christened as the ‘Tejas’ by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After the grant of initial operational clearance, the first aircraft was handed over to the IAF on January 17, 2015, by the Minister of Defence, Manohar Parrikar. The Final Operational Clearance is keenly awaited.

Initially, the IAF had planned to induct 140 of the LCA Tejas Mk I. However, as the aircraft was grossly underpowered as also failed to meet with a number of qualitative requirements stipulated by the IAF, the initial order has been restricted to 40 aircraft to equip two squadrons. Besides, as the Indian aerospace industry had indicated plans to develop the Mk II version of the Tejas which would take care of all the existing deficiencies, the IAF preferred to wait and induct the remaining 100 of the new product. As things stand, the initial order of 40 aircraft is expected to be delivered by the end of the current decade. Of the two squadrons under induction, the first is planned to be based at the Air Force Station in Sulur, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

The Tejas Mk II is planned to be equipped with the more powerful GE F-414 engine and consequently is expected to deliver better performance compared to the Tejas Mk I. However, there are ominous signs that the Tejas Mk II project is in limbo and may even be abandoned. In fact, the IAF has been advised by the Minister of Defence to induct the Tejas Mk IA instead which is to be an improved version of the Tejas Mk I and is said to be marginally more proficient. It will carry the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar from the Israeli firm ELTA Systems. Besides, it is expected to be around 1,000 kg lighter. Reports say that weight reduction of 800 kg will be achieved by redesigning the landing gear which has been described as ‘over-engineered’. It is quite a bizarre coincidence indeed that soon after the IAF celebrated its 83rd birthday, the Tejas fleet has been grounded on account of problems with the undercarriage which is in any case being taken up for redesign for the Tejas Mk IA.

Grounding of fleets especially in military aviation is a routine feature. Essentially, this is an exercise undertaken as a precautionary measure following technical failure or malfunction that cannot be immediately explained and needs more elaborate, in-depth and comprehensive investigation aimed at preventing recurrence and evolving new procedures to cope with the situation in case of recurrence of the problem. In the IAF itself, such an exercise has been undertaken with the Su-30MKI and the Dhruv helicopter fleets. Besides, technical glitches are not uncommon in the development of new platforms. Even the most sophisticated aircraft developed by the leading global aerospace majors have gone through similar experience not only during the phase of development but also during operational service. Grounding of the fleet of Tejas Mk I on account of issues with the landing gear therefore should be seen as a positive step and not be a cause of collapse of confidence in the programme. HAL will hopefully identify and resolve the issue.

Despite its afflictions and reservations generally expressed by sceptics, development of the LCA Tejas has truly been a challenging project given the lack of experience, capabilities and infrastructure available to the Indian aerospace industry at the time of commencement of the project. One notable feature of the three-decade-long project has been its flawless accident free record. This indeed is unprecedented in the history of development of new platforms the world over. The determination of the Indian aerospace industry to drive the project has also been commendable. However, in retrospect, a more intimate involvement of the IAF and better synergy between the users and the aerospace industry in the project right from the word go, might have produced better results. Undoubtedly, the technologies that have been developed in this project and the experience gained so far would help strengthen the foundations of the Indian aerospace industry.