The list includes the two light combat aircraft (LCA) – the air force and the naval variants – the aero engine Kaveri, Airborne Early Warning System (AEW&S).
The LCA, Jaitley said, required redesigning of composite wings. There were also mid-course changes in the build and aircraft fabrication. A major issue was the technology denial regime.
‘There was also an inadequate production facility in Hindustan Aeronauitics Ltd (HAL),’ Jaitley said. ‘HAL is achieving production for four aircraft per year instead of eight per year.’
He also pointed at ‘unanticipated complexities,’ that dogged the LCA programme, besides the ‘lack of infrastructure and skilled manpower in country’.
The defence minister said that the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) will be obtained by March, 2015.
The total research and development cost of the programme is Rs 5,777.56 crore. The original date for delivery was December, 2008, and the revised March, 2015.
The LCA (navy) was delayed because of the ‘country attempting design and development of carrier borne naval aircraft for the first time.’
Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the technology challenges have been significantly higher than originally anticipated.
It required new material development for landing gear and arrester hook system took longer time than the anticipated.
The original delivery date was May 2010 and the revised delivery time being December 2014 and the cost will be Rs 1714.98 crores.
One of the most delayed programmes is the aero Kaveri engine. It was begun 1996 and the date of completion (probable date of completion) was revised to December 2009.
Jaitley told Parliament that ‘technology difficulties faced during development due to complexities of engine system.’
There were problems like non-availability of raw material indigenously; lack of test facilities like high altitude test facility, full scale fan and compressor, combustor and after burner facility.
There were also denial of critical systems and components Plus, there are also introduction of Kaveri core, Kabini engine development and its altitude testing and flying test bed trials, which was not originally planned.
The LCA, Jaitley said, required redesigning of composite wings. There were also mid-course changes in the build and aircraft fabrication. A major issue was the technology denial regime.
‘There was also an inadequate production facility in Hindustan Aeronauitics Ltd (HAL),’ Jaitley said. ‘HAL is achieving production for four aircraft per year instead of eight per year.’
He also pointed at ‘unanticipated complexities,’ that dogged the LCA programme, besides the ‘lack of infrastructure and skilled manpower in country’.
The defence minister said that the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) will be obtained by March, 2015.
The total research and development cost of the programme is Rs 5,777.56 crore. The original date for delivery was December, 2008, and the revised March, 2015.
The LCA (navy) was delayed because of the ‘country attempting design and development of carrier borne naval aircraft for the first time.’
Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the technology challenges have been significantly higher than originally anticipated.
It required new material development for landing gear and arrester hook system took longer time than the anticipated.
The original delivery date was May 2010 and the revised delivery time being December 2014 and the cost will be Rs 1714.98 crores.
One of the most delayed programmes is the aero Kaveri engine. It was begun 1996 and the date of completion (probable date of completion) was revised to December 2009.
Jaitley told Parliament that ‘technology difficulties faced during development due to complexities of engine system.’
There were problems like non-availability of raw material indigenously; lack of test facilities like high altitude test facility, full scale fan and compressor, combustor and after burner facility.
There were also denial of critical systems and components Plus, there are also introduction of Kaveri core, Kabini engine development and its altitude testing and flying test bed trials, which was not originally planned.