48 kN Thrust "Dry Kaveri" Engine for Ghatak UCAV Set for Flight Testing on IL-76 Platform in Russia Next Year

India's quest for self-reliance in aero-engine technology is gaining momentum with the upcoming flight tests of the "Dry Kaveri" engine. Developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), this new variant of the Kaveri engine is specifically designed to power unmanned platforms, and it's set to undergo crucial trials in Russia next year.

Godrej Aerospace, which has been tasked with manufacturing eight modules of the Dry Kaveri, is expected to deliver the engine to GTRE by February. This engine is designed to produce 48 kN of thrust without an afterburner, making it lighter and less complex than earlier versions of the Kaveri. This is a crucial factor for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) where weight and efficiency are paramount.

Following initial ground tests in India, the Dry Kaveri will be transported to Russia for integration into an IL-76 aircraft at the Gromov Flight Research Institute (GFRI) in Moscow.

The IL-76, a robust and versatile aircraft, will serve as a flying testbed for the engine, allowing for high-altitude and real-flight condition simulations. This is a critical step in the engine's development, as it provides valuable data on performance, endurance, and integration with existing aircraft systems.

The integration process involves replacing one of the IL-76's engines with the Dry Kaveri, enabling direct comparison and analysis of performance under various conditions. This approach not only tests the engine's capabilities but also provides valuable insights into its potential integration with the Ghatak UCAV, India's indigenous unmanned combat aerial vehicle program.

Successful flight tests of the Dry Kaveri would be a significant milestone for India's indigenous aero-engine development program. The data gathered will be crucial for refining the engine and ensuring it meets the demanding requirements of modern combat UAVs.

Furthermore, it could pave the way for increased production, potential export opportunities, and solidify India's position in the global aerospace industry.

 

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[VF VF1]

You have so many Airbus and Boeing airliners... fit it as an extra engine over there and test it... why so much dependency on Russia? Or test it parallelly... your testing + Russia testing whenever that happens... make a reliable engine fast... that's it.

The government is very active in fighting elections, but in R&D they are so slow to develop things by themselves.

 

[Sandeep]

This is a never ending saga of the Indian jet engine, not only does it paint us as a country lacking technology, engineering and manufacturing ability but also undermines our defense, 30-40 years is too long.

The real problem was that India didn’t try reverse engineering anything that was bought from Russia, France, Israel or the USA. It tried to develop a variant entirely indigenously which takes a longer time and more money and there’s no guarantee that you will succeed either. The USA spends billions and not everything that they develop and test reaches the production stage.

China which only has 1 party in power permanently and doesn’t have to worry about an election or give answers to the people can afford to spend billions more on their military. A lot of technology is also stolen which gave it an advantage.

Another issue was that we didn’t allow more private sector participation in designing and developing military weapons and technology. This led to more people seeking these type of jobs abroad and those who studied in government universities for free were more than happy to fly abroad. They were then useless and of no benefit to the country which shouldn’t be allowed as there needs to be tighter controls over students studying for free and not taking up jobs in India.

 

[Sreedhar Radhakrishna]

They made big announcement last week that that Kaveri is cleared for flight testing on actual UAV and Tejas. Now this news speaks about another round of high altitude testing in Russia on a test bed. God save our country.

 

[J04]

Instead of sending it to Russia, Bharat should invest in a flying test bed facility. It is time-consuming to transport, and charges are more than having your own test facility. It will speed up development. Second, if it is designed to produce 48 kN thrust without an afterburner and is stable in producing the same thrust or exceeding up to 51/52 kN, then it will be a very good achievement. Next would be afterburner development, which would take time, maybe 8 to 10 years to be ready with refinement. If it achieves 53 kN then, after refining, it may achieve 85 to 90 kN afterburner thrust.

Hi I am new to this, don't know much about defence but I read something about this on reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianDefense/comments/1hoa7ar/gtre_130kn_twin_engine_test_bed_facility_at

Is this what you are referring to ?