First F404-IN20 Engine for Tejas Mk1A Undergoing Ground Testing by GE, Delivery to HAL Expected by Next Month

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has reached a critical milestone in the development of the Tejas Mk1A program. Dr. DK Sunil, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL, announced that the first F404-IN20 engine, designed to power the upgraded Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), has been assembled and is currently undergoing rigorous ground testing at GE Aviation's facilities in the United States.

This advanced engine is expected to be delivered to HAL by March (Next Month), paving the way for its integration into the Tejas Mk1A airframe. Following initial trials, the aircraft is scheduled to be handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in April. This delivery represents a significant step towards enhancing India's indigenous fighter jet capabilities.

The F404-IN20 engine, produced by GE Aviation, is a key component of the Tejas Mk1A, offering improved thrust and overall performance compared to the engines powering earlier versions of the Tejas. The successful assembly and testing of this engine are crucial for fulfilling the IAF's operational requirements and ensuring the Tejas Mk1A enters service on schedule.

Dr. Sunil acknowledged the challenges faced in the engine supply chain, particularly the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The global crisis significantly impacted production and logistics networks. India's order for 99 F404-IN20 engines in 2021 coincided with GE Aviation's recovery from these disruptions. However, Dr. Sunil emphasized that GE has since established new partnerships within their supply chain to optimize production and overcome previous bottlenecks.

With the revitalized supply chain in place, GE Aviation has assured HAL and the IAF that issues related to engine spares and components will be effectively addressed. This assurance is particularly important as HAL and the IAF have decided to place a follow-on order for an additional 120 F404-IN20 engines, exceeding the quantity of the initial order. The timely delivery of these engines is vital for maintaining the program's momentum and ensuring a consistent supply of these advanced fighters to the IAF.

The Tejas Mk1A program is a cornerstone of India's efforts to develop a robust domestic defence industry and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The successful development and delivery of the F404-IN20 engine signifies a major achievement for both HAL and GE Aviation, and underscores the growing strength of India's aerospace capabilities.

 

[Arin Kumar]

Now it is fully the responsibility of HAL to rapidly mate this engine with a completed Tejas Mk 1A. Now HAL has no reason to fail.

In my opinion, HAL should invite private assemblers like the Tatas, who also manufacture and assemble AH-64 Apache helicopters, into the production process. Because, to my knowledge, HAL can at most produce 8 Tejas per year, which is a pathetically low number. They can involve Dynamatic Technologies also in this Tejas manufacturing process.

Because the Tatas and Dynamatic Technologies are private players, they can do rapid hire and fire and also rapidly give promotions to high-performing employees.

Because HAL is a Central Government organization, they cannot fire non-performers and they cannot give rapid pay hikes to good performers.

 

[Buck]

Logistically it is very costly to ship just one engine both for the supplier and HAL. It would have been better if at least 10 engines were sent and HAL was ready to absorb them.

You think shipping one engine costs a ton? It's peanuts compared to the fighter jet and engine cost.

 

[Buck]

SU57 is not a true 5th-gen jet and also has Chinese components. The US will not be happy to see this, and India needs the US to develop. The US market is necessary for India. India cannot afford tariffs at this moment. The entire export of India will come under threat. Russia is not the same as before; they are now a Chinese ally.

False, Su-57 has an average radar cross-section similar to American 5th gens and even superior RCS in some angles. Also, with the new flat nozzle, its rear aspect IR and radar signature will be better than F-35. Let's also not forget it can supercruise unlike F-35 even though that's one of the requirements of 5th gen. It also has better and more weapons than F-35 and more BVR range than F-35 which will make a huge difference in a real combat scenario. It also has more powerful jammers and countermeasures against IR missiles which the F-35 lacks and has to depend on flares to defend itself which isn't much useful since modern IR missiles can differentiate between both. Su-57 also has better decoys against radar-seeking missiles than F-35, not to mention it's faster, has more range, and is more maneuverable than the American 5th gen. In a supposed dog fight, it will demolish any fighter on the planet and is an aerodynamic king.

 

[ravichandran p]

It is not to be blamed on Ge for delay, but blame ourselves for not able to develoo an engine ourselves with so much of vast resources. Unless we challenge the barriers to our growth with our own tecnologies, we shall go nowhere. We can pray, eat and sleep on mounting foreign exhlchange deficits in trade. We talk more and more about good days, but do nothing in ground. Our deficit in trade widen, but we speak about nine lakh crore export for textiles with ambanis and Birlas monopolising polyester and Rayon markets with uncompetitive prices disabling our competitiveness.

 

[Sandeep]

Logistically it is very costly to ship just one engine both for the supplier and HAL. It would have been better if at least 10 engines were sent and HAL was ready to absorb them.

Ordinarily we would ask them to export the engines in bulk which cuts postage and packaging costs and your right.

So because of the long delays in producing enough jets or receiving the engines on time we desperately need to increase our squadron numbers. In this urgent situation we urgently need the engines to be sent as soon as they are made so we can install it and then the jet can be sent to the frontline.

 

[Sandeep]

It’s great news that production has resumed and the supply chain issues have been resolved as we need to boost our air power with more jets and with better technology.

In order to resolve the supply chain delays, problems and issues it would be better to partner with us. We could have easily provided the parts, components and technology to resolve the problems. Also we don’t have the money, talent, equipment or the technology but just see and experience it.

 

[Ajay Rohilla]

Private players are efficient!!!! This is the reality.

 

[vinod nair]

Indian suppliers are not competent to make the hot-section parts for F404-IN20. That's why the GE F414 has to be made fully in India, God knows from when?

Then the question is simple: how is AL31 made in India?

 

[P10]

Given how the US had paused deliveries of F404 to arm-twist us for F35, I am worried about the quality and reliability of these engines. What if, deliberately, these engines have been fitted with defective parts to keep the Tejas fleet grounded in the future leading to low availability and a bad reputation which in turn leads to foreign aircraft purchases?

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Indian suppliers are not competent to make the hot-section parts for F404-IN20. That's why the GE F414 has to be made fully in India, God knows from when?

Only hot section parts supply chain was disrupted for GE?

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Instead of an order for 120, go for a bigger number, say 200 engines. Ask them to supply at 30 engines per year and source parts from Indian companies.

 

[Raakbas]

SU57 is not a true 5th-gen jet and also has Chinese components. The US will not be happy to see this, and India needs the US to develop. The US market is necessary for India. India cannot afford tariffs at this moment. The entire export of India will come under threat. Russia is not the same as before; they are now a Chinese ally.

It is only your inferior mind which is playing tricks on you. USAF calls F35 the world's costliest paperweight. In the recent Israeli Attack on Iran, Iranian AirDefence S400 locked on to F35 deep inside Iraqi territory. So Israel had to abandon it's mission.

SU-57E will come with the more powerful yet economical ALF 51 engines. It has shown it's versatility in India and China where it easily defeated China's J20 in a mock combat. Indian Airforce is a wizard when it comes to incorporating advanced electronics in jets eg SU-30MKI.

Russia is setting up a production line in India.There will be TOT, indeginisation is possible. There is also a possibility of Russia helping start a civil aviation industry in India as Putin himself said that with a production line!

You can pay for the jets in Rupees via BRICS. And lastly what technology has DARPA transferred to India in the last 10 years. Zero! We developed our own nuclear submarines with a little help from Russians.

Need I say more? The Indian mind will ignore all these benefits. A H1B visa, a software job in the US is its ultimate dream and they end giving wrong opinion here!😱

Note: SU-57E costs around $35 million a piece. F35 is atleast 3 times costlier. You have the Ukraine war playing out in front of you. Russia has destroyed every "wonderwaffen" produced by the US and NATO.What more proof do you need?

 

[Debunk007]

Just one aircraft model... decades of thinking, studying, meetings, discussions, and still no production. I know people who worked on the 404 engine way back in 1988 onwards. They were used to retrofit A4 Skyhawks, which, by the way, is a 1950s aircraft design. None of those people made any hoo-hah about the work to pull out the old engine on the A4 and replace it with the 404. Some minor mods on the airframe and integration with French avionics like Crouzet, Thales, SFIM, and also from Litton, Honeywell, etc. There were no serious issues. The engine was proven reliable stuff and had high MTBF.

So, back to the classic question... how many men does it take to change a street lamp?...5? 10?

 

[Somnath Sinhababu]

It is only your inferior mind which is playing tricks on you. USAF calls F35 the world's costliest paperweight. In the recent Israeli Attack on Iran, Iranian AirDefence S400 locked on to F35 deep inside Iraqi territory. So Israel had to abandon it's mission.

SU-57E will come with the more powerful yet economical ALF 51 engines. It has shown it's versatility in India and China where it easily defeated China's J20 in a mock combat. Indian Airforce is a wizard when it comes to incorporating advanced electronics in jets eg SU-30MKI.

Russia is setting up a production line in India.There will be TOT, indeginisation is possible. There is also a possibility of Russia helping start a civil aviation industry in India as Putin himself said that with a production line!

You can pay for the jets in Rupees via BRICS. And lastly what technology has DARPA transferred to India in the last 10 years. Zero! We developed our own nuclear submarines with a little help from Russians.

Need I say more? The Indian mind will ignore all these benefits. A H1B visa, a software job in the US is its ultimate dream and they end giving wrong opinion here!😱

Note: SU-57E costs around $35 million a piece. F35 is atleast 3 times costlier. You have the Ukraine war playing out in front of you. Russia has destroyed every "wonderwaffen" produced by the US and NATO.What more proof do you need?

Your argument is right, but my question is can India upset the US and do defence deals with Russia? I don't think so. Buying oil is different, and India is also reducing it too. Believe it or not, India needs the US to grow. India needs jet engines from Russia. It's not only a matter of defence but geopolitics also. All western countries will become angry if we do defence deals with Russia, and India needs western markets to grow. I hope you understand. Forget SU57. How many defence deals have been signed between India and Russia in the last 3-4 years? Except for some spare parts, I don't think India is buying any major defence equipment.

 

[nivas9531]

When ever US companies very much interested to get contracts but delivery is the night mare and many more restrictions,sanctions on their technology
Our indian bhakts are enjoying about the F-35
Which was having orders from around world countries but supplying is very less and delays are atleast three years.
So once their completion of orders made atleast 4 to 5 years then they think about india
Nobody knows what new tech is available in the world at that time.

 

[Bks98]

GE must deliver atleast 1 engine per month.

 

[Mohitm]

If they are not able to supply engines on time, how can we trust US to supply F-35 on time. This delay was deliberately done by US so that india can be armed twisted to buy US jets. Do not trust America for anything and find some solution to get the tot of equally powdered Russian or french engine so that india can become aatmnirbhar.

 

[Ammoman]

It's the same engine the Tejas 1 uses. Someone is lying here.

 

[legolas4444]

Trusting America, Britain or any other European country is the biggest mistake a country can make.