After a delay of over two years due to supply chain disruption, which led to a prolonged wait for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to receive the delivery of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A, General Electric (GE) is set to begin the delivery of 99 GE-404 engines to Tejas maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from the end of March.
The reports of GE likely to make the delivery of the GE-404 engines come amid the concerns of India-US trade war.
Quoting officials, Hindustan Times reported that the first of the contracted engines is on the test-bed. As many as 12 engines are likely to be delivered by 2025, and thereafter, 20 engines each will be delivered each year.
A $716 million for 99 F404-GE-IN20 engines for LCA Tejas was signed in 2021.
While the LCA is presently powered by GE-404 engine, these will be upgraded to GE 414 Engine for LCA Mk II which will be manufactured in India with 80 per cent Transfer of Technology (ToT) arrangement with GE Engines.
“Advanced technology and materials applied to the turbine and afterburner sections (of the upgraded version) result in increased performance while maintaining the F404’s characteristic durability,” according to GE.
This will be the first time that an engine of this class will be produced in India with 80 per cent transfer of technology. According to the defence ministry, this transfer of technology is likely to bridge the technology gap that exists currently in the aero engine domain of the country.
The HAL has established two production lines of LCA Tejas at Bengaluru, which can produce up to 16 aircraft per year. Further, an additional production line is being established at HAL, Nasik to take the production rate beyond 24 aircraft from 2024-25 onwards.
