This Neat Illustration Depicts The LCA Tejas Aircraft’s Widely Diverse Weapon Loadout

The Sanskrit saying, 'Big Thing Comes In Small Packages' or, as the Norwegians like to say, 'छोटे पैक में बड़ा धमाका', could well have been the design brief for the Light Combat Aircraft [LCA] Tejas.

The LCA Tejas, as it’s designer the Aeronautical Development Agency [ADA] envisages, is a highly versatile platform, that can be configured to efficiently perform as wide variety of diverse mission, all at a cost-effective price-point. Currently in Malaysia for the DSA 2022 Exhibition & Conference, it’s manufacturer, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limits [HAL] is actively seeking out international end-users. HAL’s Test pilot, Group Captain [Retd.] Harsh Vardhan Thakur, shared an infographic [above], illustrating the wide-range of firepower the LCA can rain on an adversary. Appears to be part of HAL’s marketing paraphernalia there.

A brief description of what is shown.

Weapon/ System	Country Of Origin	OEM	Range Tentative [kms]	Seeker	Details
CMDS	India				Counter Measure Dispensing System
ASPJ	Israel	ELTA Systems Ltd.			Airborne Self Protecting Jamming Pod
LDP	Israel	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems			Laser Designator Pod
R-73E	Russia	Open Joint Stock Co. Dux	30	Infra Red	Short Range Air to Air Missile
ASRAAM	UK	MBDA UK	25	Lock-On After Launch [LOAL] Infra Red [IR] with Strapdown Inertial Navigation System [INS]	Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile
PYTHON-5	Israel	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems	20	IR with Electro Optical [EO] imaging	Short Range Air to Air Missile
Derby	Israel	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems	50	Active Radar Homing	Medium-range Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile [BVRAAM]
Astra	India	Bharat Dynamics Ltd.	20 [tail-chase] 110 [head-on]	INS With Active Radar Homing	BVRAAM
AASM Hammer	France	Safran Electronics & Defense	60 [high alt] 15 [low alt]	GPS with INS, additionally complemented by either Imaging Infra Red [IIR] Or Laser Guidance	Armement Air-Sol Modulaire [AASM] "Hammer" Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon
JDAM	USA	Boeing	28	GPS with INS, additionally complemented by Laser Guidance	Joint Direct Attack Munition. Air to Ground
NG LGB PB-500 & PB-1000					possibly, Sudarshan NG LGB
Griffin LGB PB-500 & PB-1000	Israel	Israel Aerospace Industries	12	Laser, with optional GPS	Laser guided air to ground bomb kit
SAAW	India	Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.	100	INS with GPS terminating With IIR	Smart Anti Airfield Weapon. Glide Bomb.
1000 lbs	India	Ordnance Factory Board [OFB]		Unguided	Gravity-dropped Bomb, can be converted to guided mnition with the help of JDAM, AASM or Griffin kits
450 kgs & 250 kgs HSLD	India	OFB		Unguided	High Speed Low Drag
Practice 25 lbs & 3 kgs	India	OFB		Unguided	Practice Bombs released from Carrier Bomb Light Stores Mk200-1A
Fuel Drop Tanks	India				Additional fuel

In addition, the LCA Tejas is also armed with a GSh-23 twin-barrel 23 mm 'Gasha' gun, & carries 220 rounds. Going ahead, as more indigenous ordnances complete their development cycle, we should see this aircraft being adapted to fire many of them - Long Range Glide Bomb [LRGB], Astra IR, New Generation Anti-Radiation Missiles [NGARM] & Brahmos-NG, to name a few. The extended-range Derby Missile, the I-Derby ER, he quasi-confirmed, the LCA would carry in future.

It inexplicably omits the GBU-16 Paveway II, that the LCA Tejas has been photographed carrying [above]. There is also some ambiguity about the integration of unguided Rocket pods, like the UB-16, firing 57 mm rounds. This could enhance it’s role in ground-attack operations, to neutralise troop convoys, dematerialise sangars etc.. While some claims in opinion pieces affirm this capability, HAL/ADA is still to come forth with a confirmation, neither are there news reports with attributable quotes. Wishlist also demands capability to fire Anti-Tank Guided Missiles [ATGM], in the manner the Eurofighter Typhoon launches the Brimstone missile [below]. Integration of the Standoff Anti-Tank [SANT] guided missiles, under current development would be a good capability enhancement for the Tejas.

The illustration confirms that the Tejas is certified for asymmetrical loading, showing a single ASRAAM on the Port side, while the Starboard side has 2 of them underslung using a Dual-rack launch mechanism. The good Gp Capt. further informs 1 MT asymmetrical load over the entire flight envelope. The BVRAAM Astra too is planned for dual rack launch from the Tejas, he tweeted. The indigenous SAAW, going a step further, is quad-rack launch capable, as shown in the illustration. Multiple rails, affixed to a hardpoint increases ordnance carrying capacity of the aircraft, resulting in better exploitation of the hardpoint’s rated weight limit, subject to dimensional compatibility.

H/T hvtiaf_

It is no coincidence that HAL has marked territory at DSA 2022. Tejas is a contender for Royal Malaysian Air Force's [RMAF’s] Light Combat Aircraft/Fighter Lead-In-Trainer [LCA/FLIT] acquisition programme, that would see this US-friendly country buying up to 36 such aircraft. The Tejas, with it’s current capabilities, future upgrade plans, existing end-user commitment & Malaysia's own cordial relations with many of it’s sub-system supplier countries, is quite well-placed in the competition. How ADA/HAL tackles the issue of Israeli supplies, could tilt the balance in India’s favour. Going by the video, above, HAL/ADA are confident of adapting the twin-seater variant into a Lead-In Fighter Trainer [LIFT].

It may be a suitable variant of it's Supersonic Omnirole Trainer [SPORT]. In the video, above, he speaks about the programme & it's capabilities. Essentially, a LIFT aims to smoothen the pilot's transition from an Advanced Jet Trainer [AJT] to an type-specific Operational Conversion training aircraft. It would be able to simulate various scenarios & allow pilots to tackle them with simulated weapon systems in a realistic environment, without expending precious airframe life & operational expense on the actual aircraft, all the while it is in the air. The cherry on top, it would be combat-capable.

While speaking, he also mentioned a configuration, whereby a Weapon System Operator [WSO] could control other Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles [UCAV]. This is yet another adaptation of the baseline LCA Tejas, whereby the manned aircraft, perhaps flying on the periphery of the battlefield, will act as the Mother Ship, directing the actions of multiple unmanned aerial assets under it's command. The ongoing programme is referred to as the Combat Air Teaming System [CATS]. More details of programme, he elaborates on in another video [above].

via @hvtiaf

Things with the LCA Tejas are gradually looking up. Benefits of economies of scale & reinforcement of manufacturing knowledge accrued demands a much larger production run of the Mk.1A variant. Not an unfeasible proposition. If 40 Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft can become 272, & counting, it would be far more beneficial if the Tejas ends up with similar outcomes. Perhaps, we are witnessing the fructuation of the fruits of past labour & addition of more nutrients into the programme by the incumbent powers-that-be.

Godspeed

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