SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant step towards indigenization, locally developed primary actuators, codenamed Dalia, are poised to debut on the Limited Series Production (LSP) version of the LCA-Tejas, India’s indigenous fighter jet. Prominent defence journalist Anantha Krishnan M has reported that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has begun integration testing of these homegrown actuators at the National Iron Bird facility under HAL’s Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) in Bengaluru.
The integration tests are a critical step in validating the performance and compatibility of the digital flight control computer (DFCC) with the flight control system (FCS) actuators. The tests are being conducted across time and frequency domains to ensure the robustness of the system. Certification of the flight control software by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) will pave the way for developmental flight testing of the DFCC along with a pair of elevon actuators on an LSP aircraft.
Primary actuators, which include four elevon actuators and one rudder actuator, are among the most critical and expensive components of the flight control system of the Tejas. Currently, these actuators are sourced from M/s Moog Inc., USA. However, indigenization efforts have been underway to replace the imported actuators with locally developed alternatives.
A senior HAL official revealed that while there were initial plans to fit all 13 indigenous actuators—including six slat actuators, two airbrake actuators, four elevon actuators, and one rudder actuator—on the first Tejas Mk1A aircraft, delays in developmental testing, type certification, and production prioritization pushed the timeline back.
The locally developed actuators, despite delays, reportedly outperform their imported counterparts in various parameters while costing only a quarter of the Moog actuators. This cost advantage, combined with their robust performance, underscores the potential for significant savings and increased self-reliance in India’s aerospace sector.
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