The LCA vs the Mirage 2000-5 and the F-16C. Review on Indian Air Force

This is a side by side comparison of our own LCA with the 2 most popular 4th generation fighters on the export market - the F-16C and the Mirage 2000-5.

Cost - This is one of the most important parameters while choosing an aircraft. The LCA will cos anywhere from 15-20 million dollars. The F-16C's earlier versions cost about 30 million, however the latest version, the F-16C Block 60, sold to the UAE costs 50 million dollars. The Mirage 2000-5, sold to Taiwan, costs 55 million dollars.

Airframe - The LCA has an airframe made mostly of composite materials. The F-16 and the Mirage 2000-5 have airframe made from aluminum-lithium alloys and titanium. The Mirage 2000-5 and the LCA are tailless deltawings. The F-16C uses a tapered delta wing along with tails. All three are very maneuverable jets. While the F-16C and the Mirage 2000-5 require long, paved airways, the LCA has been designed specifically for operation in unpaved roads, and has short takeoff and landing capability. All three have quadruplex fly by wire systems, with the F-16C and the Mirage 2000-5 having 3 digital and 1 analog systems and the LCA having all digital systems.

Avionics and Software - All three have quadruplex fly by wire systems, with the F-16C and the Mirage 2000-5 having 3 digital and 1 analog systems and the LCA having all digital systems. The Mil-1553B bus is shared by all of them. The LCA, F-16C and the Mirage 2000-5 use fully integrated avionics to control them. The LCA utilizes an open architecture avionics system; as does the the F-16.

Cockpit - All three use HOTAS controlls, use Headup displays, and LCD for showing the relevant data to the pilot. A modular mission computer aids the pilot in all three aircraft. THe LCA is the only one of the three with a helmet mounted sight.

Weapon systems - The LCA has 7 hardpoints and a load of 4000kg, and the Mirage 2000-5 and the F-16 have a payload of 6000kg on 9 hardpoints. The LCA has a 23mm gun, the F-16 a 20mm gun and the Mirage 2000-5 dual 30mm guns.

Weapons for the LCA, Mirage 2000-5 and F-16C respectively -

SRAAM - AA-11, Mica IR, Sidewinder

MRAAM - AA-12, Mica (radar), AMRAAM

Air to ground missions using bombs, rockets, missiles.

The LCA uses the full range of russian air to ground missiles and american made Paveway LGBs. The Mirage 2000-5 uses all french made air to ground weapons and american LGBs. The F-16 uses all american air to ground weapons.

Countermeasures - All three have advanced EW systems and flare and chaff dispensers.

Targetting - For air to ground missions, all three use pods. The LCA will use the Israeli pods, the Mirage 2000-5 damocles pods and the F-16 lantirn pods. For air to air, the LCA will use a pulse doppler radar with a capability of tracking 10 targets. The Mirage 2000-5 radar can detect 24 by tract about 12 targets. The F-16 uses an advanced pulse doppler radar, which's range and tracking capability is classified.

Engine - The LCA uses the kaveri engine at 20,200lbs. The Mirage 2000-5 uses the M-53-P2 engine at 23,000lbs and the F-16 uses the F-100-PW-22 engine at 29,000 lbs.

My verdict on the planes - The LCA doesn't seem to have any drawbacks. Its main advantages are its ruggedness, high maneuverability, modern airframe and low cost. The Mirage 2000-5's main drawbacks are its high cost and low thrust to weight ratio. Its main advantage is its powerful radar. The F-16's main advantage seems to be its weapon selection, modern radar and high maneuverability.

The 3 planes score the same in targetting methods, cockpit, and countermeasures. The LCA acts as a Jack of all trades, being capable of performing all missions perfectly. The Mirage 2000-5 acts more as a airdefense jet than anything else. The F-16C's cost makes it more of a high end system than a low end system that it was designed for; which most nations wouldn't rist due to its prohibitive cost. Overall, the Mirage 2000-5 is only maybe 1.2 times better than the LCA. The F-16 would probably be 1.4-1.6 times better than the LCA.

While the Mirage 2000-5 is an good plane, it is not good enough to be bought in numbers. However it could be a powerful adversary in the hands of an enemy.