Radiance Thunder Clash LCA vs. JF 17. Part Two

Many articles have been written and many debates with filthy language has gone , but nobody has talked about tactical comparisons of both. Indian authors are seen always presenting only those points in which LCA scores better than JF 17. Indian authors rarely discuss about the small weapon package of LCA, While Pakistani authors neglecting the contribution of Chinese talk like JF 17 is just theirs, they also claim JF 17 to be 'semi stealth' just because it has DSI inlets...........huh.




Nobody talks about how would they work in battlespace. Many people escape argument by saying comparison cannot happen between LCA and JF 17 as both are of Different class/category. Yes it is true that both are of different category but comparison can happen as we all know they may face each other in a battle and many countries may buy them so comparison is necessary.

Design :-

Both LCA and JF 17 have got unique designs. Based completely on the requirements of both. LCA was designed to do Air to Ground Attacks with secondary air to air roles. While JF 17 was designed to do primarily air to air roles with secondary air to ground and other kinds of precision attacks. The designers of both had a different approach. The purpose of LCA was to develop a firm ground and infrastructure related to aviation research in India. So while designing it , A customised CAD software was developed with the help of Parametric Technologies Corporation (PTC). While for JF 17 focus was on saving time and cheap product so the general AutoCAD was used to design its parts.

Some Cool Features of Both :-

1 The hydraulic brakes of JF 17 have an automatic anti-skid system. Which prevents it from skidding off the runway.


2 The position and shape of the JF 17's inlets is designed to give the required airflow to the jet engine during manoeuvres involving high angles of attack.


3 Tejas requires a very short runway and “rockets off the runway and into the air in a mere 500 metres”.


4 LCA uses patented RAM coatings for being semi-stealth, carbon fibre composites are rust free and greatly reduces maintenance costs.

Avionics

Once again the approach was decided by the focus. The programming of JF 17s software codes was done with simple C and C++ languages but ..... As LCA had to develop something else than developing itself. A new programming language was developed, named The ADA programming language. The language development took a long time and then for writing codes. Here one thing should be noted that JF 17 is less software based than LCA as it uses conventional controls at many places. Whereas the LCA was designed for relaxed static stability and have to be more software related work on it. The conventional controls of JF 17 carry forward the reliability and LCA's Software controls carry software glitches.

The JF 17's conventional controls offer less options for pilot's relaxation but LCA's controls give the pilot many Automatic features like the 'get you home' feature and automatic landing.
As a result JF 17 was developed quite fast. But LCA was slow because the infrastructure needed for it was not available at first place. Most of the research work of JF 17 was done at
CAC's facilities. Earlier The Super 7 (early designation of JF 17) was to be equipped with western avionics from France and Italy but the sanctions after nuclear tests led to the usage of Chinese avionics. The west had been quite critic about Chinese avionics and its quality and so were the Russians but till now we haven't heard any bad news about it, did we??. Nevertheless JF 17 has got sensor fusion, digital electronic engine control and a robust computer from NRIET. HOTAS in it's flight controls, KlJ 7 radar that can look up targets upto 50 to 60 km. The JF 17 can extend it's range for targeting with the help of AEW&C. The Block ll uses targeting pods housed with IRST for passive targeting. This could be very effective in battlefield scenario.


LCA also has HOTAS, a multimode radar on Mk1 and AESA radars on next variants. An AESA radar usage is confirmed in JF 17 block lll. It is largely possible that Mk2 of LCA may use DRDO Uttam AESA radar. The IAF had already set the bar high and that's why whatever be LCA it will always be a contemporary reliable platform that any Air force will be happy to operate.

The EW suit of LCA known as 'Mayavi' includes....
1 RWR ( radar warning receiver ).
2 UV MAWS ( Ultraviolet Missile approach warning suite).
3 LWR ( laser warning receiver ).
4 Chaff Despenser.
5 ECM ( Electronic Countermeasures Suite ).
6 TRD ( Towed Radar Decoy ).
7 Litening Targeting Pod.






The EW suite of JF 17 known as 'Defensive Aids System (DAS)' includes.


1 RWR.
2 EW suite.
3 MAWS.
4 Radar Jamming Pods.
5 Targeting pods like FLIR.
6 Chaff Despenser.




The LCA has an extra pylon for carrying pods but JF 17 carries pod on its Centreline Pylon it's later variants may sport an extra pylon for future.

This is a follow on standard comparison between them, a large technical comparison about possible combat scenarios was uploaded by us some time back. To visit that Click on the below link.

part one