Thread: Can LCA stand up to F16/Gripen??

The LCA should be able to take on an F-16XL-1, F-18, Gripen and a Eurofighter with ease. All these aircraft have the same rate of speed and acceleration between Mach 1.8 and Mach 2.0. The LCA still is much in its preliminary stage of development and more advanced changes could be made to the plane over the years. It has a large nose cone allowing development of newer radar and avionic systems. With BVRAAMs that adorn the Mig-29s and Su-30s the LCA is more than a match for various fighters. The IAF now has its very own plane in a class of its own that could be pitted against F-16s and not just another IAF Mig or Mirage. The F-16 isnt much of a fighter its slow at Mach 1.9, and barely makes it to Mach 2.0 when fully loaded. It must be remembered that the F-16 was born because the USAF was shitting in its pants between 1966-72 when it lost 103 F-4s to the Viet Mig-21s. So it was for this reason - to counter those nimble Migs that the F-16 was basically made for the USAF.

I disagree. although I don't know much about the Gripen, I know that the LCA would have a hard time with the Eurofighter. Eurofighter is superior than the LCA in many ways. The Su-30MKI is more of a match to the Typhoon than the LCA. Remember LCA is a "light" combat aircraft, where else the Typhoon and the Grippen too I believe are much more air superiority fighters than the LCA. I think it is very riduculous to compare the LCA with the Eurofighter and the Grippen, which are both "heavy" class aircraft. Remember LCA is an advanced aircraft designed to replace the old squadron of Mig's in the IAF, not to take on heavy class aircraft. However LCA would be a good match against the F-16's and F-18's but then again you have to consider what "type" of F-16 or F-18 you are fighting. A huge difference in fighting Block 15 and Block 50 F-16's. Also, the F-16 is not an air superiority fighter either. That job is done by the F-15. F-16 is just another strike bomber.

From what I know, Defence Analysists in the United Kingdom and France have said the LCA is in the same class of the Eurofighter 2000 and the Rafale.

Originally Posted by Mr-Ad0lf

From what I know, Defence Analysists in the United Kingdom and France have said the LCA is in the same class of the Eurofighter 2000 and the Rafale.

man... are you on crack???

it looks like an F-104 but with wings.

sweetheart, with an external load of 4000kg and a ceiling height of 'greater than' 45,000ft, its nowhere near a typhoon, grippen, SU-27/30 or rafale.

being small, whats its range? - oddly enough they missed that bit out on the spec...

HAL officials could set the LCAs range somewhere near 1500 km. The max. ceiling it reaches is not 45,000 ft. but 50,000 ft. same as the F/A-18 Hornet. It also has the same speed as the F/A-18, Mach 1.8

Originally Posted by dave angel

it looks like an F-104 but with wings.

dave, your on crack too... F-104 and the LCA are two VERY VERY different planes. There are also some others who say LCA is a copy of a Mirage, again these are two different planes with 2 different specs. (lol, it's like saying the Mig-17 and the F-86 are copies of each other, which I have also heard being said. )

Can anyone post some more tech specs for the LCA.
What about the RADAR, performance, avionics and weapon systems??

Originally Posted by Maximus

Can anyone post some more tech specs for the LCA.
What about the RADAR, performance, avionics and weapon systems??

Stats for the LCA:

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.7
Service Ceiling: 50,000 feet.
G Limits: +9/-3.5
Armament: internally mounted GSh-23mm twin barrel gun with 220
rounds of ammunition
Seven external hardpoints, can carry air-to-air missiles,
air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, rocket launchers
and ECM pods


Self Defence: RWR system, jammer and chaff & flare dispensers.


LCA integrates modern design concepts and the state-of-art technologies such as relaxed static stability, flyby-wire Flight Control System, Advanced Digital Cockpit, Multi-Mode Radar, Integrated Digital Avionics System, Advanced Composite Material Structures and a Flat Rated Engine.

A state-of-the-art multi-mode radar (MMR), laser designator pod (LDP), forward looking infra-red (FLIR) and other opto-electronic sensors provide accurate target information to enhance kill probabilities.

An advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite enhances the aircraft survivability during deep penetration and combat. Secure and jam-resistant communication systems, such as IFF, VHF/UHF and air-to-air/air-to-ground data link are provided as a part of the avionics suite.

Seven weapon stations provided on LCA offer flexibility in the choice of weapons LCA can carry in various mission roles. Provision of drop tanks and inflight refueling probe ensure extended range and flight endurance of demanding missions. Provisions for the growth of hardware and software in the avionics and flight control system, available in LCA, ensure to maintain its effectiveness and advantages as a frontline fighter throughout its service life. For maintenance the aircraft has more than five hundred Line Replaceable Units (LRSs), each tested for performance and capability to meet the severe operational conditions to be encountered.

The LCA is also BVR capable and will use a radar absorbant paint.

an imp point we need to keep in mind is that we just need lca for the numbers and not for air superiority.For that we already have MKI whose newer batches will be equipped with further upgrades.And by 2010-12 we might even start the production of PAK-FA LCA is primarity for point defence and so range is not important.What we need is the Avionics comparable to that in Eurofighter rafale gripen etc.
Missiles are not a problem for it should be able to carry israeli french and russian missiles. What we need to see is the ECM and radar ranges ( when used without AWACS)
Another important thing is its RCS .Does anyone has any idea about how it compares to the RCS of Gripen Eurofighter etc..

Originally Posted by ajaybhutani

an imp point we need to keep in mind is that we just need lca for the numbers and not for air superiority.For that we already have MKI whose newer batches will be equipped with further upgrades.And by 2010-12 we might even start the production of PAK-FA LCA is primarity for point defence and so range is not important.What we need is the Avionics comparable to that in Eurofighter rafale gripen etc.
Missiles are not a problem for it should be able to carry israeli french and russian missiles. What we need to see is the ECM and radar ranges ( when used without AWACS)
Another important thing is its RCS .Does anyone has any idea about how it compares to the RCS of Gripen Eurofighter etc..

At one-third the size of the F-22 and half the size of the EFA or Rafale, the LCA will have smallest radar cross section of any non-stealth fighter aircraft in the world (due mainly to materials composition -- 45% composite by weight, the highest of any jet fighter today.)

The LCA also uses Radar absorbant paint... but then again so does the Gripen...
Surprisingly as I researched the Gripen is designed similar to the LCA, small and manauverable with radar absorbant paint. Since LCA is smaller than the Gripen, it will have a much lower Radar Cross Section.

The Tejas in production will carry more advanced systems and weapons, is longer range, more manoverable, and lighter than Gripen, at half the total project development costs of the latter ($1+billion v. $2.5+billion), and, here's the most significant figure: the Tejas will cost less than half as much as the Gripen whilst being significantly more advanced.

Tronic is right, the LCA was in fact designed with many inputs from the Mirage family. Hence it could very easily match the performance of an F-16C, since Mirages are of a much better lineage than the F-16s. In an air-to-surface role, an F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers) and deliver its weapons load which is about the same range of an LCA. LCA has the same speed and ceiling as that of an F-16XL-1 being Mach 1.8 and 50,000 ft.

actually I said Mirages and the LCA are VERY VERY different, lol. LCA has nothing of the Mirage, the only reason it might look similar to it is cuz they got advise by Dassault when they were designing the plane. The LCA's wings are very similar to the F-16XL not the Mirage...