The Navy, looking for a replacement of its single-engine carrier-borne fighter, the Sea Harrier, engaged with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in the early 90s, to see if the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) being developed for the Air Force could be adapted for carrier operations. The feasibility study indicated that with some modifications it was possible. It included strengthening of undercarriage for higher sink rate during flare-less landing on the carrier, reduction in landing speed to keep it within the limits of the arrester gear system, fitment of an arrester hook and supporting structure design, over-the-nose vision during approach and controllability of the aircraft during take-off after ramp exit. A naval team was positioned at ADA in 1994 to assist the designers and be an interface between the user and the development agency.
Post a detailed study, encompassing the Project Definition Phase and Pre-Project Phase, government sanction for the LCA Navy project was given in 2003. The ‘Full-Scale Engineering Development (FSED)’ included the production of two prototype LCA Navy aircrafts, one trainer and one fighter and a Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF), for conducting aircraft trials of ski-jump takeoffs and arrested landings ashore. The core issue was for the Tejas to demonstrate the capability to safely operate from the carrier. The timeline for completion of FSED including Carrier Compatibility Testing(CCT) was 2009. The tight timeline of six years from the production of aircraft to completion of testing with a minuscule number of aircraft indicated that the design change envisaged was minimal.
Early in the naval programme, it became evident that the heavier than anticipated design would result in a shortfall in meeting operational requirements. To meet mission parameters from onboard the aircraft carrier, the LCA Navy required an engine with greater thrust. A second government approval through Government sanction for Full-Scale Engineering Development 2(FSED-2) was given in 2009. This envisaged production of two additional fighters (NP3, NP4), with a new more powerful engine, called the LCA Navy Mark
The production and proving of the Mark 2 aircraft was to be completed by 2018. The approval also extended the FSED 1 (Mark 1 production, test flying and CCT) timelines by five years to 2014, as the LCA Navy Mk1 programme was running behind schedule, with the first aircraft yet to be produced.
Running a developmental naval fighter programme with just two aircrafts to prove Carrier Compatibility is challenging. Any adverse event leading to the downtime of the aircraft could delay timelines. The Navy had therefore sought the build of additional aircraft in 2009 itself. The ADA General Body Meetings during 2010 and 2011, chaired by the Raksha Mantri, agreed that the two Mk1 prototypes were grossly inadequate. Three more Mark 1 prototypes, a twin-seater trainer (NP-5) and two single-seater fighters (NP-6 and NP-7) were recommended for production.
The LCA Navy Mark 1 thus became a technology demonstrator programme to prove the aircraft design capable of safe operation from aircraft carriers. It would be the LCA Navy Mark 2 that would be inducted into the Navy for operational deployment. As there was no limitation for shore-based operations, the Mark 1 aircraft could be utilised from ashore.
With the larger LCA Air Force programme seeing serious slippages, it had an adverse fall-out on the naval programme, as largely the same agencies were involved. It required significant effort, across all levels, to ensure the progress of the LCA Navy programme from the shadow of the larger LCA Air Force programme. The first Tejas Navy Mark 1(NP1) had its first flight in April 2012. The performance parameters were on expected lines. With this one aircraft, flight tests for the naval LCA programme commenced.
The core issue was safe operations of the Tejas Navy from the deck, for which take-off and landing trials would first require to be carried out from ashore. With the ski-jump portion of the SBTF readied, the first significant test would be its performance during a ski- jump take-off. The aircraft structure faces significant stress while accelerating for take-off from the 14 degrees curved ski-jump ramp. As the aircraft exits the ski-jump at lower than the stall speed, till the aircraft becomes fully wing-borne, aircraft controllability is a central concern. The ski-jump take-off was successfully demonstrated on NP1 in December 2014 at Naval Air Station, Goa. A single LCA Navy aircraft had been the mainstay for such a large and complicated development programme. It was finally joined by the second aircraft, NP2, a single-seat fighter built to near-production standards, in February 2015, when it did its first sortie.
The Tejas Navy was planned to fly alongside the Mig 29K from the deck and complement its capability with a substantial number planned for induction. The Navy had, right from the inception of the LCA Navy programme, provided steadfast support with manpower, materiel and funding. In 2016, the Navy for reasons of the inability of the on design-board LCA Navy Mark 2 aircraft to meet operational parameters, terminated its plan to induct the aircraft in Service. This development was a major setback. It was later clarified that while the Navy would not induct the LCA Navy into Service, it would continue to support its development. Notwithstanding, with no concrete end other than proving of design, has an adverse impact, and it was seen in the further slow-down of pace.
The LCA Navy programme running way behind schedule had yet not cleared Carrier Compatibility Testing, as it had yet to be tested for arrested landing ashore. After due checks and work-up, the first ‘arrested landing’ ashore at the SBTF at Goa was finally demonstrated in September 2019. Soon thereafter, on 11 January 2020, the aircraft carried out the first arrested landing on Vikramaditya successfully. This was followed by 18 launches and recoveries from Vikramaditya in a matter of days. The final frontier for the naval programme, operating the LCA Navy from the deck of an aircraft carrier, had been accomplished. The Defence Minister rightly called it “a great event in the history of Indian fighter aircraft development programme.” India had joined the ranks of few countries capable of designing and building a naval fighter, capable of operating from aircraft carriers.
All who have flown the Tejas Navy have vouched for its excellent flying characteristics. The aircraft design had been validated and it has a creditable flying record with zero accidents in the most testing of trials, exhibiting the professionalism and competence of the design, manufacturing, and testing teams. A noteworthy aspect is this capability was proven with only two aircrafts. The other three Mark 1 aircrafts have not been produced to date. The LCA Navy has also exhibited its flying capability and manoeuvrability during Defexpo 2016 and Aero India 2017.
With the Navy rejecting the LCA Navy Mark 2 for induction and having re-defined operational requirements, the LCA Navy programme has been reduced to a technology demonstrator. ADA has commenced work on designing the new naval fighter, nicknamed the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), which, as per media reports, would be flying by 2026.
The lingering question is, have the aims of the LCA Navy programme been achieved and should the programme need to wound up? While the LCA Navy has demonstrated that it can safely operate from the deck, the full envelope for operations from the deck has yet, not been proven or established for the aircraft. This is essential to be undertaken, to ensure that the design is robust and has catered for full operating conditions. It is only then that the aircraft design can truly be called proven. Secondly, user evaluation is important and would bring out many practical issues concerning operations and maintenance aspects. The learnings from the above activities would benefit the follow-on naval fighter programme and could be factored in the design stage itself. It is therefore important that impetus on the Tejas Navy programme be maintained.
ADA must put in place a carrier flight testing schedule, in liaison with the Navy, aiming to complete it within a year. On completion, the aircraft should be given to the Navy for flying operations and user evaluation. The Naval Flight Test Squadron at Goa could operate and assess the aircraft, both ashore and from the aircraft carrier. The Navy has committed to supporting the LCA Navy project. It must, along with its share of funding, provide a small team of flight and maintenance crew to progress further trials. The programme is on the final leg of learning and it should be taken forward to its logical conclusion.
The LCA programme has been a saga of contradictions — of technical issues, huge time overruns, as also of great achievement and satisfaction. It has overcome many technological challenges and matured our design and aircraft production capabilities. Induction of over 100 LCA aircrafts by the Air Force is a matter of great satisfaction and shows user confidence. The LCA Navy has proven the technology, but due to a shortfall in meeting some aspects of mission requirements, has not been accepted by the Navy. All agencies should now work with an even greater focus to ensure that the new naval fighter under design, meets user requirements and is inducted into service. It is the basis on which Naval Aviation can play a significant role in furthering the Prime Minister’s vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The author is a former naval fighter pilot with extensive flying experience on aircraft carriers
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme has been a saga of contradictions — of technical issues, huge time overruns, as also of great achievement and satisfaction. It has overcome many technological challenges and matured our design and aircraft production capabilities. Induction of over 100 LCA aircrafts by the Air Force is a matter of great satisfaction and shows user confidence.