GE Commits New Delivery Schedule for F404 Engines from November, Easing Tejas Mk1A Delays

Jodhpur: In a move that will provide relief to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), American engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) has assured India of a revised delivery schedule for the crucial F404-IN20 engines that power the Tejas Mk1A aircraft.

The new schedule, set to commence in November this year, aims to address the significant delays that have hampered the delivery of these advanced fighter jets.

The commitment from GE comes after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh directly raised the issue during his recent visit to the United States. Sources indicate that GE has promised to deliver two engines per month, beginning in November.

This development is particularly crucial as the original contract between HAL and GE, signed in August 2021, stipulated the delivery of 99 engines starting in March of this year. These engines are essential for fulfilling the IAF's order of 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft.

This development also comes at a time when the IAF is reportedly considering an additional order of 97 Tejas aircraft, highlighting the strategic importance of this indigenous fighter jet for India's air power.

The timely delivery of engines is vital for the Tejas Mk1A program, as the aircraft's design is specifically tailored to the F404-IN20 engine. The first Tejas Mk1A, LA 5033, took its maiden flight in March this year, but it was equipped with a reserve engine rather than the new F404-IN20.

Sources within the government reveal that GE had cited supply chain issues and the re-certification of new vendors as reasons for the delays. However, there have been concerns about the potential influence of other factors.

Despite the engine-related setbacks, HAL has maintained its production schedule for the Tejas Mk1A. A new production line has been established in Nashik, in addition to the existing one in Bengaluru, allowing HAL to produce a total of 24 aircraft annually.

 

[Sudha]

Wrong decision by HAL. HAL shouldnt go for any US tech. Knowing the unreliability of US strategic thinkers it was foolish on the part of HAL & IAF to opt for US engines. But I think they will never learn the hard taught lesson by US. HAL should rework the design for an alternative engine even if it takes 2 years. Start reworking the design of tejasmk2 & AMCA to some other alternative engine instead of F414 now itself.

 

[NSR]

Be calm and wait till November 2024.

GE is one of the biggest aerospace engine manufacturers in the world and it is a private company and has a fiduciary duty to its shareholders to make profits on their investments.
So GE purposefully does not mess up with GE F-404 engine deliveries and affect its profits.
Any decrease in profits will slam its shares very badly in the present volatile circumstances.

Wait until November 2024 and see what happens with the deliveries as the pandemic era supply chain issues of procuring titanium and other alloys is ongoing for many companies as their main sources used to be Russia and China.

If anyone wants to fault, then it should be successive GoIs, MoDs, HAL, GTRE, DRDO, etc as they did not invest much compared to the have fighter engine countries who poured in billions to perfect their fighter engines.
Even now, India is only investing paltry amounts in fighter engine developments.

Another way to get out of this conundrum is to request for license manufacture of GE F-404IN20 in India with 80% TOTs.

Be patient.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

High time to invest more on desi jet engine programs.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

US reliability and credibility in India will take a big hit, when it comes to future arms imports. India has not faced this issue earlier in buying american equipment. In future, reliability of delivery will be a top concern when placing orders, and both russia and america are struggling in that aspect. Only france is left, but it makes things extremely expensive.

 

[Hey]

Wrong decision by HAL. HAL shouldnt go for any US tech. Knowing the unreliability of US strategic thinkers it was foolish on the part of HAL & IAF to opt for US engines. But I think they will never learn the hard taught lesson by US. HAL should rework the design for an alternative engine even if it takes 2 years. Start reworking the design of tejasmk2 & AMCA to some other alternative engine instead of F414 now itself.

IAF chose F404 not HAL 🤦🤦🤦🤦 & Other options are not available as those are not certified for single engine

 

[Jitender Saroha]

If US AF is not using F404 then sell the 100% technology to India. We need them we will make them ourselves. You will get money for your obsolete technology.

 

[Chinese eater]

Only a brainless will believe America will give TOT for GE engines. Many including I were writing against GE engine that we are rightly proved USA will offer the product and then delay and then arm twisting. Killing time delay the interview final assembly of Tejas there by the project is derailed and it's called failed project. That's the reason Asia doesn't trust Americans. And when Tejas project is derailed delayed America and Indian corrupt babus will puss for off the self f16)21/18/15.

Russia must be language in the closed room taking among themselves we told Indians and still got trapped.

 

[Anant]

If US AF is not using F404 then sell the 100% technology to India. We need them we will make them ourselves. You will get money for your obsolete technology.

1. The F404 is used by a lot of jets other than those in US use.

2. The US is going to induct hundreds of T-7 trainers, which use F404s.

3. The F404 isn't obsolete.

4. Engine technology isn't something as simple as stuff that can just be sold off.

 

[Jitender Saroha]

1. The F404 is used by a lot of jets other than those in US use.

2. The US is going to induct hundreds of T-7 trainers, which use F404s.

3. The F404 isn't obsolete.

4. Engine technology isn't something as simple as stuff that can just be sold off.

They are selling 80% technology for F414. They can do the same for F404 as well. We will have 220 MK1's and if Kaveri doesn't get ready, we will need more for replacement after these engines' life are over. We need them in large quantity like F414.

 

[beencensured]

Put the Kaveri engine on Tejas, cancel these orders. There is war cannot expect anyone to supply weapons except ourselves. Trust the Kaveri and do not waste time.

 

[Rajesh]

If the delay is this much procuring the engine now imagine what we will have to face when the engines are for replacement for their 2 and 3 one. Which ever idiots come to power the situations r same. Why don't we consider going chinese way with (rd33- ws13) engine development or considered going for a similar deal like aravalli engine with safran m88-3 making it a condition for further rafale purchase. Meanwhile buy some used mig 29/mig29k from russia if available along with mirage 2000( considering we have these in our force).

 

[shekhar]

It's a problem of General Electric and not HAL 🙏, If India is not getting confidence from GE, then look at integrating alternatives like Safran M88 and Russian engines now instead of wasting time

 

[John George]

Buy Griffin till we get the engines, instead of wasting time

 

[Dilip_123]

It's a weak indian defence policy to tie up with the US co for the vital jet engine. US is always unreliable and GOI should realise it . India should not compromise with the policy.

 

[Swapy]

Why don't India make GE404 engine in India similar to GE414 engine. Crack a deal with GE USA to build engine factory in India. Source max component from Indian manufacturer. Keep Supply chain open.. India is developing 200+ Tejas mk1a then we should have order atleast 500 GE404 engine

 

[Sudha]

It's a problem of General Electric and not HAL 🙏, If India is not getting confidence from GE, then look at integrating alternatives like Safran M88 and Russian engines now instead of wasting time

Man! Inspite of knowing US unreliability & backstabbing it was huge mistake of HAL's management to go for an engine the manufacture of which was discontinued. A very bad decision of HAL to opt for F404 engine since HAL was the organisation which designed tejasmk1a.

 

[Sudha]

Why don't India make GE404 engine in India similar to GE414 engine. Crack a deal with GE USA to build engine factory in India. Source max component from Indian manufacturer. Keep Supply chain open.. India is developing 200+ Tejas mk1a then we should have order atleast 500 GE404 engine

Yeah make a deal & wait for the critical parts which however US will block to arm twist Bharat. What makes you think when GE (if genuinely there is supply chain problem) has an issue but Bharat won't have the same issue?

 

[Sathish Kumaram]

Need to produce the frames and keep it ready..and parallely work on risk mitigation to adapt the russian engine..so it helps to reduce the supply chain risk and sanction risk..and we can do the improvement..I think of all the organisation GTRE people were the Lazy lot or under budgeted ?..They need to learn from ISRO.when US sancitioned for the cryogenics they developed it

 

[Sudha]

Need to produce the frames and keep it ready..and parallely work on risk mitigation to adapt the russian engine..so it helps to reduce the supply chain risk and sanction risk..and we can do the improvement..I think of all the organisation GTRE people were the Lazy lot or under budgeted ?..They need to learn from ISRO.when US sancitioned for the cryogenics they developed it

Yup we make the airframes but engine isn't supplied, then what? The need for the hour is to immediately go to the design board & redesign the aero engine aspect of tejasmk1a. It will take couple of years, but we will get US out of our defence manufacturing.

 

[Akshat]

Aero engines are very difficult to master. One needs advanced alloys tech for the hot core to withstand high temperatures. Defence industry was really opened to private sector hardly a decade back. Blame the commission greed of the scamgress & not Bharatiya engineers for the low tech of India. Moreover HAL which designed the tejasmk1a went for a closed line aero engine F404, which was a huge wrong decision. As it is going for a "US" engine was a strategic error knowing very well the arm twisting tactics of US.

Bro, F404 was chosen for prototypes. And that was done in the 80s, when F404 was a flagship engine. The plane itself was supposed to be inducted by mid 90s. Mk1A is nothing but minor electronics upgrade of Mk1 jet. So changing the engine wasn't an option. IAF had rightly asked for Mk2 way back in 2005 itself but an IIT educated defence minister forced them to buy this Mk1A stuff.