The article pointed out by Shiv puts rate of turn in a good perspective. That critical balance between the energy carried forward and rate of turn is the most important thing! If this balance is lopsided on any one side, then it gives a big window to the adversary.
However, the article doesn't speak about few scenarios. Like what if LCA was the chase plane. If the plane in front of it can out turn it, then the LCA will shoot out in front! Another aspect not covered in that article was evading short range A2A missiles! Even in the BVR situation, when adversaries lock on in a face on missile release, both would want to release the missile and turn away ASAP. Though turning rate is important there, but the exit velocity out of the turn is even more important!
Also the author of the article (and I am all with him) says lets have many planes rather than a fundoo plane! In that case, he says if you can outnumber your enemy in 2:1, then in a tail chase, even if your adversary out turns you, your partner behind you will get him as he would have lost momentum. But in most cases that I have heard, the dogfights havn't been as ABB ( A and B are the aircrafts from 2 sides). They have always been ABA (even an AAB is quickly reconfigured to ABA). Well in that case if B can turn sharper, it is a huge benefit. With some luck, he can shoot down both As.
But is LCA a air-superiority fighter?! I would hazard a guess and say no. Its basic aerodynamic configuration doesn't suggest so. If not, then lets wait till its role is properly defined. I am strongly with the article that Shiv posted. 3 multirole fighter can't replace 3 fighters, each one of which is dedicated to a role.
I have one more question from the readers of the article that Shiv posted. Is the capability of supersonic flight as low as has been downplayed by the author. Albeit in a dog fight barely anybody is even transonic, but what if you were the chase plane and your adversary was supersonic! He can evade you and your missiles by just accelerating (reminds me of the Mig-25
). Also if he is the chase plane, well well. I am completely with the author that acceleration is critical, but how will one accelerate without a big push, and if you can push very hard, you will go supersonic (yes yes I know the aerodynamics and engine intakes have to change). My point is if you push hard, you will get transonic. Then what, decrease pushing power? That would be a waste of your engine power! Gurus kindly enlighten this nadaan balak! P.S. All this apply to our choice of MRCA too. Like I have been saying, What is better 126 fundoo planes or 200 nearly fundoo planes at the same price? Even if you discount attrition, 2 in the air is much better than one out there!
