How is the LCA Tejas better than the MIG 21

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• published: 02 Apr 2017
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How is the LCA-Tejas better than the MIG-21. In short Yes, although it will be unfair to compare them as both belongs to different generation. The first squadron of the indigenous developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas has been inducted into Indian Air force today. Almost 33 years journey of Tejas is over and set to phase out Mig-21 slowly. Tejas vs Mig-21 Generation Tejas MK1 is 4th generation aircraft. While earlier version of MIG 21 belongs to 2nd generation and later version to the 3rd generation. With clear advantage of advance generation technology and concept used for Tejas it outshines MIG-21. Speed Both are supersonic jet air craft i.e. speed 2–3 times of sound speed. Tejas - 2205 km/hr MIG 21- 2175 km/hr Slight edge to Tejas over MIG 21 Maneuvering and Size Tejas is highly maneuverable and better than Min 21 in this aspect. It is smallest and lightest in its class of contemporary combat aircraft. Pilots who have maneuvered it termed it as best till date. Since Tejas uses carbon composites in its structure it is lighter in weight and has much stronger body compared to Mig-21. Due to its small size and extensive usage of carbon composits, its radar cross section is very less. Availability and Reliability Modern fighter aircraft, including the air force’s top gun, the Sukhoi-30, are notoriously unreliable and maintenance heavy. Less than 60 percent of Sukhoi fleet is available at any time to conduct the mission, a huge concern for the air force. HAL says Tejas will be available for more than 70 percent of the time when called for the mission and targeting a minimum of 80 percent, far in excess of what the IAF is presently able to achieve with most of its other jets. combat radius MiG 21 has a combat radius of 500 kms where Tejas has only 300+ kms (but there are claims it has a combat radius of 400–500 km)which limits the number of tactical missions it can undertake without air to air refueling and this is one of the main reason IAF is not happy to have Tejas in its fleets.Also this may be the reason the government is looking for some other single engine fighters like mirage 2000 and JAS Gripen to complement along with Tejas to replace MiG 21 in to the IAF! Accidents The tendency of MiG aircraft to come crashing down - right from the time it became the backbone of the Indian Air Force over four decades ago - earned the fighter jet epithets such as 'flying coffin' and 'widow-maker’.As per official records, more than 170 IAF pilots have been killed in Mig-21 accidents since 1970. These accidents were another reason that India was looking for replacing it with LCA which was in development stage. It will be too early to say about Tejas in this segment but no Casualty has been reported yet in its 3000 test flights. Although Tejas is going to replace Mig 21 , it is much more than that. It is indigenuously developed by India( few standard parts are bought and used directly but then who doesn’t). In midway of the journey India faced technological isolation (because of Pokhran II 1998) which made buying/acquiring technology extremely difficult. But it sailed through all difficulties and finally has been inducted in Indian Air Force. It has not only strengthened the Air force fleet but also proved India’s capability of developing Indigenous defence system. Also the Tejas MK II which is under development will overcome most of the disadvantages of Tejas MK I including its combat radius!(Update: IAF is out of Tejas MK II project and instead ordered a improved version called Tejas MK I A) Also HAL is offering a LCA Tejas MK IA which is an AESA radar fitted reduced weight variant as a stop gap measure until Tejas MK II is fully certified. With entry in MTCR and recent development in this field, it will act as booster to defence industry of India. In future India will be a major player in defence and space technology sector. Its other advance feature like glass cockpit in which information is displayed real time to the pilot , open architecture software which can be updated by DRDO whenever required, quadruplex digital fly-by-wire control system to ease handling by pilot makes it at par with its competitor like JF-17 (developed by China and Pakistan jointly).