From performance shortfalls and maintenance issues to absence of internal jammer affecting survivability, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-I has shortcomings that will be addressed in the LCA Mk-II version, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said today.
Giving reasons, Parrikar in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said internal jammer technology at that time was based on TWT amplifier which needed about 1,000 ltr volume space for integration on aircraft.
Hence, it could not be accommodated at the time of development of LCA Tejas Mk-I.
The maintainability issues were raised by the Indian Air Force (IAF) late in 2009, when design and drawings were already frozen for Mk-I. However, many of the safety critical maintenance issues are already addressed in Mk-I, he said.
Parrikar said that all the above mentioned shortcomings in LCA Mk-I have been addressed in LCA Mk-II version.
