Scientists and aerospace designers working on India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) stealth programme are excited at the prospects of delivering a plane studded with gen-next technologies.
Sources confirm to Express that silent R&D work has been going on in multiple centres of Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Institute of Technology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and select private industries.
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), spearheading the AMCA mission, are ready with a massive scale model to be put up during Aero India, giving the world a first-time detail peek into the shape of things lined for the future. The AMCA’s weapon menu is being packed with BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile and other precision-guided ammunitions. The internal weapon bay has adequate space to accommodate two large-size bombs or smaller-size large number of bombs, promising high-speed release. It will have the required manoeuvre, climb and acceleration capabilities to engage the enemy in a close combat.
The aircraft will have adequate un-refuelled range on its internal fuel alone (the capacity to carry more fuel), thereby enabling it to cover theaters that are significant from the tactical point of view. “A substantial carriage capability on its external hard points will allow the aircraft to carry out regular missions of conventional fighters in later phases of a campaign including maritime operations,” sources said. The critical stealth technologies that are currently being developed include: radar absorbing structures and paints, body conformal antennae with shared aperture, flush air data sensors and frequency selective surface (FSS) radome.