LAPAN Fighter Experimental (LFX)

LAPAN Fighter Experimental (LFX) is a development program from Multirole combat aircraft by Indonesia with plans to create a 5th generation fighter jet, This project is implemented by LAPAN.^[1] The program started in 2012 and was frozen in 2013 due to limited funding and Indonesia's experience in developing fighter jets. Apart from that, another reason is the lack of attention to LFX because at that time LAPAN together with Indonesian Aerospace, is currently busy developing the N-219 civil aircraft.^[2] This fighter aircraft is designed to have a speed capability of up to Mach 2 accompanied by stealth technology that is equivalent to other fifth generation aircraft such as F-22 Raptor.^[3]

LAPAN Fighter Experimental (LFX)
Photo taken from LAPAN center, The one behind is the design of the LFX-1, the front one is the LFX-2 design
General information
Type	Stealth Multirole combat aircraft
National origin	Indonesia
Manufacturer	LAPAN
Status	Suspended
Primary user	Unknown

Development

In 2012, shortly after LAPAN introduced the LFX concept, the Ministry of Defense (Indonesia) requested basic information regarding the fifth-generation fighter aircraft, and at that time research on LFX began. Several researchers from LAPAN were immediately deployed to create an initial concept which was the result of the research and would be used as a reference in the further development of LFX. In the research results, the initial configuration, engine, weight and future performance of the LFX were obtained and it is estimated that the development of this fighter aircraft will take 10 years which is estimated to be completed in 2022 or 2023.^[4]

In 2013, LAPAN decided to freeze the LFX project due to limited funds and experience in developing fighter aircraft. Selain dua hal tersebut, Apart from these two things, another factor that caused the suspension was the lack of attention to the LFX project because at that time, LAPAN and PT Dirgantara Indonesia were busy developing the N-219 civil aircraft, which was a priority project.^[5]

Even though development finally stopped in the second year, the initial development was able to increase LAPAN's competence. Moreover, at the same time the Ministry of Defense together with PT. Dirgantara Indonesia and Bandung Institute of Technology is developing a fighter jet named KFX/IFX with South Korea.^[6] With LAPAN's competence at that time, it was hoped that it would be ready to assist in program development of KFX/IFX by South Korea.^[7]

Variants

• LFX-1 ^[8]
• LFX-2

Specifications

LFX LAPAN

Data from manufacturer^[9][10]

General Characteristics

• Crew Capacity : 1

• Long : 19 m

• Height : 5 m

• Weight : 16.601 kg

• Maximum takeoff weight : 34,473 kg

• Engine : 2 × Twin Jet Shenyang WS-10 (Not Yet Selected)^[11]

Performance

• Maximum Speed : Mach 2 (2,469 km/h, 1,333 knots, 1,534 mph) at 12,192 m (40.000ft)

• Ferry Radius : 3,600 km (1944 nm)

• G-Load : 9g

See also

• LAPAN

• Indonesian Aerospace

• N-219

• KAI KF-21 Boramae

• F-22 Raptor

• Infoglobal I-22 Sikatan