120 kN AMCA Mk2 Engine to Align with TEDBF Jet's High-Thrust Requirements, Promising Indigenous Power Option for Indian Naval Fighters

In a significant development for India's indigenous military aviation sector, a powerful new jet engine being co-developed for the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is now expected to power the Indian Navy's future carrier-based fighter jet.

The alignment offers a unified, high-performance propulsion solution for the next generation of fighters for both the Indian Air Force and the Navy.

The engine, which will produce 120 kilonewtons (kN) of thrust, is the focus of a major collaboration between France's leading aerospace firm, Safran, and India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a key laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

While originally intended for the advanced AMCA Mk2 variant, revised project timelines have positioned this engine as the primary candidate for the Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) program.

Recent assessments have pushed the induction schedule for the TEDBF to approximately 2038. This new timeline, while a delay from initial projections, strategically converges with the production maturity of the new Safran-GTRE engine. This synchronicity presents a unique opportunity to equip the naval fighter with a state-of-the-art, domestically produced engine.

The TEDBF program, managed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), is critical for India's naval ambitions. It is tasked with developing a modern replacement for the Navy's fleet of Russian-origin MiG-29K aircraft that currently operate from the aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

According to officials, the revised timeline stems from the ADA's current focus on completing crucial work for the Tejas Mk1A and the initial AMCA Mk1 demonstrator aircraft.

The agreement to develop the 120 kN engine with France is being pursued under a Government-to-Government (G2G) framework and has been designated a "National Mission Mode Project," indicating the highest level of priority with oversight from the Prime Minister's Office.

This engine will eventually replace the American General Electric GE-F414 engine that is slated to power the initial squadrons of the AMCA, marking a major step in India's goal of self-reliance in critical defence technologies.

The technical specifications of the new engine are an ideal match for the requirements of the TEDBF. The naval fighter is projected to have a maximum take-off weight of around 26 tonnes.

To operate effectively from India's carriers using a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) system, which uses a ski-jump, the aircraft requires a combined thrust of approximately 220-240 kN.

Two of the new 120 kN engines would provide 240 kN of total thrust, perfectly meeting this demand and also providing sufficient power for potential future carriers equipped with catapults (CATOBAR).

Key features of the engine include supercruise capability—the ability to maintain supersonic speeds without using fuel-guzzling afterburners—and a modern modular design for easier maintenance and future upgrades.

While schedule adjustments in complex defence projects can be viewed as setbacks, the delay in the TEDBF timeline has created a valuable strategic alignment.

The Safran-GTRE collaboration is now poised to deliver a single, advanced propulsion system to empower both of India's flagship future combat aircraft, strengthening the nation's sovereign defence manufacturing capabilities for decades to come.

 

[A K Biswas]

The need of the hour for India now is to expedite through DRDO design / develop / manufacture / operationalize long range hypersonic ballistic missile system to attain speed more than 8 mack to counter Turkey's recent development of hypersonic ballistic Cruze missiles.Also India's air defence system should be strengthened with ability to counter hypersonic ballistic missile system , for country's safety as recent failure of israel's iron drone has opened eyes seeing Israel's vulnerability in neutralizing Iran's hypersonic missile system which caused enormous damage within israel.

 

[sanket]

Good, but there is no clarity whether this engine is 5th Gen or 6th Gen, as the variable cycle engine feature, which is a hallmark of 6th Gen Engines, is not mentioned, but FADEC features have always been mentioned.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

A 4th gen fighter to be developed in the 2040s? TEDBF should have two variants: one with an internal bay and one without it. If the need arises, the one without internal bays should be designed to be modified to have internal bays.

 

[Bird Watcher]

France will happily take 10 billion and give their engine to us. We are not going to get any technology. I don't know how this government is not able to learn from its multiple mistakes in the past.

 

[ramdas]

Is Safran capable of developing a 120 kN engine? All they have is an M88 with 75 kN thrust with no thrust vectoring. The T-Rex engine, still under development, has only 105 kN with no thrust vectoring again. GTRE is in for big trouble with this collaboration. AMCA will only be ready by 2045! The PM is so fond of the French, who have betrayed him in the past. Putting all eggs in a single basket spells disaster.

 

[APJ]

Good, but there is no clarity whether this engine is 5th Gen or 6th Gen, as the variable cycle engine feature, which is a hallmark of 6th Gen Engines, is not mentioned, but FADEC features have always been mentioned.

Doesn't matter if it's not 6th gen, honestly. We need a working engine right now. With the knowledge we get, we can further develop that on our own, hopefully. Can't expect to be given everything on a plate.

 

[Akshat]

France will happily take 10 billion and give their engine to us. We are not going to get any technology. I don't know how this government is not able to learn from its multiple mistakes in the past.

They learned. That's why they aren't dealing with Russia or the US now. They know France will do everything that they sign on to. So, it's time for our lawyers to draft a watertight agreement. If France wants to do some shenanigans, they will simply refuse to sign it.

 

[sanket]

Doesn't matter if it's not 6th gen, honestly. We need a working engine right now. With the knowledge we get, we can further develop that on our own, hopefully. Can't expect to be given everything on a plate.

It matters. Project cost is 61,000 Cr, and RR proposal was best with VCE. The only thing was time, that too just 3 years. Even if by investing 61,000 Cr without a test facility and getting a 5th Gen engine in the era of 6th Gen, it would become outdated. Then why prefer the French offer, that too with joint IPR, and only the French know when they will transfer the entire ToT?

 

[Sunny]

We should use it on Tejas Mk2 as well. So we will have the same engine on Tejas Mk2, AMCA, TEDBF, and possibly a future UCAV variant of Ghatak with better specs. This will ensure the investment we have put in this engine is fully utilized.

 

[Akash Vashisth]

There won't be TEDBF, and ideally, it shouldn't be sanctioned. Instead, AMCA Naval should be developed from the IAF AMCA. It will be a stupid decision. Even the rich US worked on various versions of the F-35. Since India has limited funding, it is best to modify AMCA (even if extensive modifications are needed).

 

[Kira]

A 4th gen fighter to be developed in the 2040s? TEDBF should have two variants: one with an internal bay and one without it. If the need arises, the one without internal bays should be designed to be modified to have internal bays.

Or simply abandon the TEDBF and allocate resources to a naval AMCA by the late 2030s. After all, as you mentioned, there is no point in developing a 4th Gen fighter by the 2040s, and that too only to be inducted by the IN in relatively small batches. Plus, any potential capabilities it provides will also just match the Rafale, so there is no commercial and technical logic for this project.

 

[APJ]

It matters. Project cost is 61,000 Cr, and RR proposal was best with VCE. The only thing was time, that too just 3 years. Even if by investing 61,000 Cr without a test facility and getting a 5th Gen engine in the era of 6th Gen, it would become outdated. Then why prefer the French offer, that too with joint IPR, and only the French know when they will transfer the entire ToT?

61,000 crore isn't as big as you might think for a critical part like an engine. You've got to see this from the point of view of how many sales established players would lose if India becomes self-reliant in engines.

Second thing, we have no idea what was/is on offer. All we see are some articles based on "sources." There has been no indication of any sort regarding the nature of the joint venture offered so far. All we have is speculation based on past reports and trends.

ToT isn't a product that you transfer in a pen drive; it's the transfer of knowledge. Scientists, engineers, academia, and industry work together to exchange the know-how and know-why: papers, books, lectures, and many more. It takes time. If it was all about the structure of the engine, then we could have opened an imported one and reverse-engineered it. But it's the science behind it: the metal, aerodynamics, fuel flow rate, etc. I have no idea.

We are flying Mig-29s with probably 3rd or 4th Gen engines. 6th Gen is cutting edge, most probably classified research for any company. Why would they give that to us so we can cut into their defence market?

So, it's important to get working engine knowledge according to our requirements and then research on that foundation for future upgrades.

Remember, VCE is just a tech that's a result of research. Who knows how Indian scientists or others may approach engine upgradation? But surely, we can't depend on the goodwill of others. It would be a big thing if Safran really gives full ToT knowledge, even for 5th Gen.

Just consider if you were in the government's position or the French's position. What would you do, and what consequences might it have?

We already delayed FA due to God knows what demands from whom.

 

[Ashok Kandimalla]

While this is no doubt good news, what is the point of an a/c like TEDBF being inducted in 2038, assuming that this timeline will be adhered to, though our past experience suggests that it is almost never the case. It will be too little to late IMHO.

 

[Mc Addy]

Engines as available and made by us can be used in UCAVs and heavy drones , rest new ones with more features must be made but in the quiet so element of surprise remains . Defence is either show or surprise, so whatever the choosing of military planners be, old engines of any sorts ,that are cheap to make , use and throw away in Kamikaze drones must be given a look . We can do many things , with tech, which are with us , to lob mass drones at enemy .mass production of cheap viable engines is the need of the hour as such cheap tech can overcome many matters in case of war like situation and who's worried ,once they finish mission. We have some old engin tech so that needs a relook .