Final operational clearance to Tejas was granted even though the jet's drop tank & other weapon configurations are yet to be cleared while airframe fatigue test is still underway.
The Army has plans for a technology thrust in the near term, including the use of AI to support decision-making. While well-intentioned, this may have unintended consequences.
The Air Force in particular and the Armed Forces in general should Institute Special chairs for undertaking time bound research in, armaments design and development and warfare techniques.
We have enough Knowledge and Capabilities to Fly our own designed and Manufacturered defence aircrafts.Our Speed in doing the Same has to be improved otherwise we will be superceded by Our Competitors.
Nice critical summary coming from highly authentic source. Thoughtful comments hv supplementally added technical and strategic views.
In our country research and development of particularly defence technologies do not reflect the scientific, economic and international political order.
1, we seriously lack the art of management of research. Most of the agencies including ADA. DST. DRDO laboratories would like to do all by themselves. Look at the Europe where many groups including MSMEs, universities, research labs and even nations pool their resources to meet the economical, human resource and technical challenges.
2. As early as forties many technologies have been developed by armed forces in the west. In India this culture could never take to its feet. We remained very conventional and orthodox.
3. Arms offer good market. Americans, and European have made huge investments. It is but natural that these forces would not appreciate development of technologies else where. It is but natural. In India different lobbies are the reflection of it.
4. Users of arms do also suffer with a syndrome. A simple example. We had Hunters, Vampires, Mistrels, MIGS, MIRAJs, SUs etc. Did we have the qualitative requirements of Rafel or SUs at the time of Mistrel. Answer is a big NO.
We have to put a break for imports through a lagislation for 10 years. It would result in very rapid technological developed. We need intervention to come out of equilibrium trap.
Issues are many, solution lies in an honest national attitude.
Defence imports have been a lucrative source of additional income for politicians and bueruecrats all these years. Why any right minded person earning millions by a mere nod ever want to give up his authority to nod one way or other. If ISRO could develop, why couldn’t the DRDO get the same attention. Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
It is a foregone conclusion that if India has dreams of becoming an economic and military power, it has to develop it’s own technology and military capabilities. It is surprising that Indian engineers, scientists and doctors perform so we’ll in foriegn countries but here their performance remains below par. Therefore it seems we donot provided, time, fund and neccessary infrastructure to them. I grew with Admiral Prakash that no matter what we must not stop our developmental projects, otherwise we will forever be duped, blackmailed and fleeced by arm lobbies and greedy countries.
He meant to say that the IAF Tejas got the IOC-1 in 2011 to initiate the final process of induction. This was inherent from his words
Arun, a well articulated and balanced assessment of the LCA Navy.
Not only the Naval Hq/ MoD encourage the project, ADA must pursue the next projects, Mk-2 and the MCA.
It is good a former decorated pilot Adm Arun Prakash who has flown off the aircraft carrier and has been the Chief of Naval Staff has flown one of the two Naval LCA which is recognised as a very stable and easy to fly delta winged fighter . He seems to feel it will be a good fighter flying off the
carrier. Younger pilots in the Navy shared their impressions too as also Navy test pilots and a former naval ADA Head at Aero India Exhibition and stated the LCA Mk 2 in the future with a more powerful GE engine could make a good Lead in Aircraft Carrier Pilot Trainer at best not a fighter and their views need to be taken into account. No off the cuff decision by an old timer may help as that has led to why the IAF today is short of fighters. That is another story as professional air forces seek opinion of current young pilots as they will bear the brunt to fight the war.
Issues of war and peace tend to be dealt with above Raksha Mantri’s altitude. So that leaves time and managerial bandwidth to focus on defence production. The 42 ordnance factories are unable to produce high quality ammunition. There are widely reported deficiencies with HAL. Mazagon Dock builds submarines. The effort should be to tie up with the world’s leading manufacturers, steadily increase local content.
Finally someone knowledgeable gives thumps up for LCA Tejas Naval. One can see that DRDO performance on the whole, has improved over last couple of years. If it is due to involvement from political level, so much the better. Admiral has rightly referred to completion of Kaveri program at any cost. India needs its own aircraft engine and DRDO must take it as a strategic national mission just like AST or nuclear submarine projects. Overall, ISRO and DRDO are now delivering what is expected of them. One must acknowledge initiative of Admiral Prakash to undertake this sortie and give us this report. I hope he also takes a dive with Arihant and give us his report!
The Air Force in particular and the Armed Forces in general should Institute Special chairs for undertaking time bound research in, armaments design and development and warfare techniques.
We have enough Knowledge and Capabilities to Fly our own designed and Manufacturered defence aircrafts.Our Speed in doing the Same has to be improved otherwise we will be superceded by Our Competitors.
Thanks Admiral Sir.
Nice critical summary coming from highly authentic source. Thoughtful comments hv supplementally added technical and strategic views.
In our country research and development of particularly defence technologies do not reflect the scientific, economic and international political order.
1, we seriously lack the art of management of research. Most of the agencies including ADA. DST. DRDO laboratories would like to do all by themselves. Look at the Europe where many groups including MSMEs, universities, research labs and even nations pool their resources to meet the economical, human resource and technical challenges.
2. As early as forties many technologies have been developed by armed forces in the west. In India this culture could never take to its feet. We remained very conventional and orthodox.
3. Arms offer good market. Americans, and European have made huge investments. It is but natural that these forces would not appreciate development of technologies else where. It is but natural. In India different lobbies are the reflection of it.
4. Users of arms do also suffer with a syndrome. A simple example. We had Hunters, Vampires, Mistrels, MIGS, MIRAJs, SUs etc. Did we have the qualitative requirements of Rafel or SUs at the time of Mistrel. Answer is a big NO.
We have to put a break for imports through a lagislation for 10 years. It would result in very rapid technological developed. We need intervention to come out of equilibrium trap.
Issues are many, solution lies in an honest national attitude.
Defence imports have been a lucrative source of additional income for politicians and bueruecrats all these years. Why any right minded person earning millions by a mere nod ever want to give up his authority to nod one way or other. If ISRO could develop, why couldn’t the DRDO get the same attention. Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
It is a foregone conclusion that if India has dreams of becoming an economic and military power, it has to develop it’s own technology and military capabilities. It is surprising that Indian engineers, scientists and doctors perform so we’ll in foriegn countries but here their performance remains below par. Therefore it seems we donot provided, time, fund and neccessary infrastructure to them. I grew with Admiral Prakash that no matter what we must not stop our developmental projects, otherwise we will forever be duped, blackmailed and fleeced by arm lobbies and greedy countries.
Indian Air Force (IAF) version of Tejas was inducted into service in 2011 ??????? great example of misguiding
He meant to say that the IAF Tejas got the IOC-1 in 2011 to initiate the final process of induction. This was inherent from his words
Arun, a well articulated and balanced assessment of the LCA Navy.
Not only the Naval Hq/ MoD encourage the project, ADA must pursue the next projects, Mk-2 and the MCA.
It is good a former decorated pilot Adm Arun Prakash who has flown off the aircraft carrier and has been the Chief of Naval Staff has flown one of the two Naval LCA which is recognised as a very stable and easy to fly delta winged fighter . He seems to feel it will be a good fighter flying off the
carrier. Younger pilots in the Navy shared their impressions too as also Navy test pilots and a former naval ADA Head at Aero India Exhibition and stated the LCA Mk 2 in the future with a more powerful GE engine could make a good Lead in Aircraft Carrier Pilot Trainer at best not a fighter and their views need to be taken into account. No off the cuff decision by an old timer may help as that has led to why the IAF today is short of fighters. That is another story as professional air forces seek opinion of current young pilots as they will bear the brunt to fight the war.
Issues of war and peace tend to be dealt with above Raksha Mantri’s altitude. So that leaves time and managerial bandwidth to focus on defence production. The 42 ordnance factories are unable to produce high quality ammunition. There are widely reported deficiencies with HAL. Mazagon Dock builds submarines. The effort should be to tie up with the world’s leading manufacturers, steadily increase local content.
Better late than never. Best luck to the Tejas project. DRDO should now focus on Project Kaveri for designing engines for Tejas fighter plaNes.
Finally someone knowledgeable gives thumps up for LCA Tejas Naval. One can see that DRDO performance on the whole, has improved over last couple of years. If it is due to involvement from political level, so much the better. Admiral has rightly referred to completion of Kaveri program at any cost. India needs its own aircraft engine and DRDO must take it as a strategic national mission just like AST or nuclear submarine projects. Overall, ISRO and DRDO are now delivering what is expected of them. One must acknowledge initiative of Admiral Prakash to undertake this sortie and give us this report. I hope he also takes a dive with Arihant and give us his report!