CHANDIGARH, April 19: Integrating various aircraft sub-systems is still a major task in the much hyped about Light Combat Aircraft project, which is expected to take wings later his year.Expressing this while talking to Newsline here today, Director of the Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), K.G. Narayanan said that all sub-systems come with their own software, which have to be orchestrated logically to form one complete system, keeping in mind all aspects of flight safety."There is a lot of work to be done and will take time. Our efforts are focused in this direction," the ADE director commented. All sub-systems for the aircraft have been made available and have passed the requisite tests, he added.While conceding that the LCA project is lagging behind schedule, Narayanan, however, stressed that the first test-flight of the LCA will take place later this year as scheduled.The LCA, project, initiated in 1983, was envisioned to be complete by the mid-90s, with about 10 squadrons of 18 aircraft each in service by 1999. A lightweight multirole fighter, the LCA is meant to replace the aging MiG-21s and is similar in size and performance to the Sweedish SAAB Grippen fighter."The project has certainly been delayed. We had underestimated the complexities involved and promised too much too soon," he said.The timeframe involved in fighter aircraft development, from the concept to final squadron induction, Narayanan said, is about 15 years. In the Indian context, he added, it could be closer to 20 years."Our inexperience was in predicting the time frame," Narayanan said. "But the delay is not appalling by international standards".Apart from the US General Electric engine, Narayanan claimed that about 95 per cent of the airframe components and avionics are indigenous. The Kaveri engine, being indigenously developed by another DRDO laboratory, is expected to take another two to three years to develop. He, however, declined to comment on the issues involved in the Kaveri engine development.The armament and ordnance stores for the LCA are still to be defined and their indigenous development, as planned earlier is nowhere in sight.While several avionic systems, including communication systems, radio compass, display equipment, and computerised control systems are of local origin, the radar development, Narayanan stated, is expected to take another two years.Till the indigenous canopy completes trials, an imported one will be used. The pilot's ejection seat is from a UK firm.Meanwhile, the DRDO, it is learnt, is also carrying out studies to develop a Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), cited to be an advanced, long range multirole version of the LCA.The MCA, is projected to replace the Jaguar and the Mirage-2000 beyond the year 2010. The twin-engined, delta wing aircraft will be tailless to reduce radar cross-section for greater stealth capabilities and will have an advanced fly-by-wire system and thrust vectoring nozzles similar to that of the Sukhoi-30.
