Prem Kumar wrote:
He also explains how it used to cost 1-2 crores per test in the 1980s for a foreign test rig (for Brake Dynamometer). How they got the local one built for 50 Lakhs, which gets used umpteen times not just for the Tejas but for all aircraft in our service!
If we don't invest in test-beds, it shows that we are not serious enough.
Thanks for posting these numbers.
One crore in the 80s should have been lot of money. If it used to cost that much for a static test rig, a flying test rig hired overseas would be way expensive than that. Russia would be charging in multiples of crores for each test flight.
I came across some numbers in Annual report of MOD for 2010-2011 for money allocated for flight testing.
https://www.mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/AR1011.pdf
On page 214 of the report:
It is a fact that the project has been delayed by about 12 years, but during the period 1989 -2010, Kaveri, indeed, made a considerable progress, attaining technical maturity and establishing technology base by completing high altitude testing of Kaveri. Though the project cost is enhanced to Rs. 2839 Cr. (FE Rs 1730 Cr.), only Rs. 2105 Cr. was authorized for interim flight trials of Kaveri (first phase), keeping balance Rs. 734 Cr. for final version Kaveri engine (which has not been authorized to be utilized so far).
If I read it correctly, 2105 Cr is allocated for intermediate flight trials alone. Since flight trials cant be done in India, I can only imagine how much of it was paid to Russia. As a bonus, they would have got a free look at our test data.
Even with back of envelope calculations, I feel we could have got a fully instrumented flying test bed on a second hand aircraft with that kind of money.
Had that kind of money been spent in India exactly like it was done for LCA test rig as mentioned in the previous post, this would have been a one time investment that would have not only accelerated Kaveri development many time over but also benefitted other aerospace projects.
Ok. That 2105 Cr is inclusive of all engineering design effort and flight trials. Till March 2020, we have spent Rs 2032 crore on Kaveri Project.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 982412.ece
The technical challenges were faced in areas such as advanced avionics, digital fly-by-wire, composites, weapon simulation, testing and integration facilities and non-availability of raw materials, Mr. Naik said. Of the specified amount, ₹9063.96 crore was spent on LCA and ₹2032 crore on the Kaveri Engine.