Hindustan (HAL) Tejas / Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Light Multi-Role Fighter

HISTORY:
First Flight: (TD-1) 4 January 2001
Service Entry: planned for 2010

CREW: one: pilot

ESTIMATED COST: $21 million

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root: unknown
Wing Tip: unknown

DIMENSIONS:
Length: 43.27 ft (13.20 m)
Wingspan: 26.88 ft (8.20 m)
Height: 14.42 ft (4.40 m)
Wing Area: 412.6 ft² (38.4 m²)
Canard Area: not applicable

WEIGHTS:
Empty: 12,125 lb (5,500 kg)
Normal Takeoff: 18,740 lb (8,500 kg) [clean]
Max Takeoff: 27,560 lb (12,500 kg)
Fuel Capacity: internal: 795 gal (3,000 L); external: 1,055 gal (4,000 L)
Max Payload: 8,820 lb (4,000 kg)

PROPULSION:
Powerplant: (prototypes) one General Electric F404-F2J3 or F404-IN20 turbofan; (production) one GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri turbofan
Thrust: (F404-F2J3) 18,100 lb (80.50 kN); (F404-IN20) 18,700 lb (83.18 kN); (GTX) 20,200 lb (89.86 kN)

PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed: at altitude: 1,195 mph (1,920 km/h) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m), Mach 1.8; at sea level: unknown
Initial Climb Rate: unknown
Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,250 m)
Range: 460 nm (850 km)
g-Limits: +9 / -3.5

ARMAMENT:
Gun: one 23-mm GSh-23 twin-barrel cannon (220 rds)
Stations: eight external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile: R-77/AA-12 Adder, R-73/AA-11 Archer, BVRAAM
Air-to-Surface Missile: up to two conventional cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles
Bomb: laser-guided bombs, conventional bombs, cluster bombs
Other: rocket pods

KNOWN VARIANTS:
LCA-TD-1: First technology demonstrator equipped with a General Electric F404-F2J3 turbofan
LCA-TD-2: Second technology demonstrator
LCA-PV-1 and PV-2: Single-seat prototype vehicles
LCA-PV-3: Single-seat prototype vehicle that should be at or very close to production form, equipped with in-flight refueling capability
LCA-PV-4: Single-seat prototype vehicle for a naval variant
LCA-PV-5: Two-seat trainer prototype vehicle
Tejas: Production model for the Indian Air Force
Trainer: Two-seat trainer model
Navy model: A navalized version with strengthened landing gear and a redesigned forward fuselage to be used aboard a future Indian aircraft carrier
MCA: Planned Medium Combat Aircraft derived from the LCA, supposed to possess greater stealth characteristics and thrust-vectoring capability

KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: not yet in service

KNOWN OPERATORS:
India, Bharatiya Vayu Sena (Indian Air Force)
India (Indian Naval Air Squadron)