India's Tejas versus Pakistan's JF-17: Don't even compare, say experts

 India's Tejas, a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), that has been inducted into the IAF (Indian Air Force) often finds itself being compared to Pakistan's JF-17 Thunder.

The JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft has been developed as a joint venture between Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Kamra and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) of China. Tejas, on the other hand is India's indigenous LCA that has been designed and developed by DRDO, HAL and ADA.

LCA Tejas will be put into combat role by the IAF as early as 2017, and today HAL has handed over two aircraft to the air force. With this IAF has raised the first squadron of Tejas ? ?Flying Daggers? 45. On the other hand, the JF-17 Thunder was handed over to the Pakistan Air Force in November 2009.
 
PAC says that JF-17 is a third generation fighter aircraft. Tejas, claim ADA and DRDO, is a fourth generation plus combat aircraft. Both JF-17 and Tejas are said to have high combat manoeuvrability.

Weapon systems:

Tejas is designed to carry air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry. Tejas can carry long-range beyond visual range weapons. According to ADA, Tejas can fire “highly agile high off-boresight missiles” to tackle any close combat threat.

Tejas specifications (Image ADA)

Air to ground munitions and and attack system allow it to prosecute surface targets over land or at sea.
According to PAC, JF-17 is capable of carrying weapons such as beyond visual range active missiles, highly agile Imaging infrared short range missiles, air-to-sea missiles, anti-radiation missiles, laser guided weapons, runway penetration bombs, general purpose bombs, training bombs and 23 mm double barrel gun.

JF-17 Thunder specifications (Image PAC)

Why compare in the first place?

However, defence and aviation experts that FE Online spoke to are of the opinion that any comparison between the two aircraft is not right.

Says Colonel KV Kuber, Independent Consultant Defence and Aerospace, "The induction of Tejas is a proud moment for India and IAF. It is also a big leg up for the entire supply chain that has been established around Tejas. Increasingly Indian defence players will compete to be a part of the Tejas supply chain." "As far as the JF-17 is concerned, there is no comparison of Tejas with that Chinese aircraft. Tejas is in a class of its own," he said.




Aviation expert Angad Singh also believes that one can't compare the two. "Tejas has just been inducted into the IAF, while JF-17 has been in service for many years now. The lifecycles of both the aircraft are completely different."





"Maybe 10 years down the line, when Tejas has been in service for the IAF, one would be able to make some comparison between the two. As of now, it's not something that anyone would be able to assess correctly," Singh told FE Online.






 Source:Financial Express

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