Global Supply Chain Issues Further Delay GE F-404 Engine Delivery for India's Tejas Mk1A Aircraft, First Two Expected in March 2025

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is facing yet another setback in the delivery schedule for India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A. The first two F-404 engines from General Electric (GE) Aviation, crucial for the aircraft's performance, are now expected to arrive in March 2025, highlighting the persistent challenges within the global aerospace supply chain.

These engines were initially slated for delivery much earlier, with the first batch anticipated in March 2024. However, ongoing global supply chain disruptions have repeatedly pushed back the timeline. GE Aerospace has acknowledged these industry-wide pressures and remains committed to resolving the issues in collaboration with HAL and their suppliers.

These delays have not only affected production schedules but have also raised concerns about the operational readiness of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is eagerly awaiting the Tejas Mk1A to bolster its air combat capabilities. As a critical component of the aircraft, any delay in engine delivery directly impacts the overall production and deployment timeline.

In response to these challenges, HAL has adapted by utilizing Category B (used or reserve) engines for initial production and testing. While not an ideal long-term solution, this approach allows HAL to keep the program moving forward. Despite the setbacks, HAL remains optimistic about meeting its production targets once engine deliveries stabilize.

The delay in engine supply has broader strategic implications. India has invoked penalty clauses against GE for these delays, underscoring the importance of timely delivery in defence procurement. However, recognizing the strategic importance of maintaining a strong partnership with GE for future projects, including the more advanced F-414 engines intended for the Tejas MkII, India has chosen not to enforce financial penalties.

The upcoming delivery of the first two F-404 engines in March 2025 offers a glimmer of hope. GE has committed to a delivery schedule of two engines per month starting in November 2025, with plans to accelerate production further in 2026. This commitment is expected to help HAL ramp up production and meet the IAF's demand for new fighters.

However, the aerospace sector's ongoing supply chain woes remain a concern. Both HAL and GE are working closely to mitigate these risks and ensure the Tejas Mk1A program stays on track according to the revised schedule.

 

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[abhinav srivastava]

We have put all our eggs in GEs basket. Poor planning to depend on one country with history of sanctioning others for arm twisting. TEDBF and AMCA should be designed with non US engines.

 

[Anant]

Alright, this is now starting to get ridiculous. Penalties against GE need to start now. Enough is enough. Supply chain issues are one thing, but if the US wants to do the geopolitical game here, then we need to put up some sign to them in return.

 

[desigandu]

This is a disaster, and MOD, HAL, GOI, and IAF, besides GE and geopolitics are to blame! Really poor planning and horrible execution - and see how exposed we are!

Question is how do we fix this quickly?

 

[INDIAN]

India has taken a such a big risk by depending on American engines for all of the new aircrafts that India is building. Given the Bangladesh regime change.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

This is a disaster, and MOD, HAL, GOI, and IAF, besides GE and geopolitics are to blame! Really poor planning and horrible execution - and see how exposed we are!

Question is how do we fix this quickly?

No quick fix. Deliveries will pick up once Dolandji takes over. Mark my words even after engine Deliveries there will be more delay by HAL. GOI trusts them too much.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

We have put all our eggs in GEs basket. Poor planning to depend on one country with history of sanctioning others for arm twisting. TEDBF and AMCA should be designed with non US engines.

What about MK2? Should we design that from the scratch?

 

[Sudha]

India has taken a such a big risk by depending on American engines for all of the new aircrafts that India is building. Given the Bangladesh regime change.

Nope. It is HAL wrong decision for going in for an aero engine the production of which had stopped. Also agree about not going for US military equipment & parts. US is highly unreliable due to it's geopolitical goals.

 

[Sudha]

No quick fix. Deliveries will pick up once Dolandji takes over. Mark my words even after engine Deliveries there will be more delay by HAL. GOI trusts them too much.

Absolutely right. HAL will invent some other excuse to delay deliveries. It is time to penalise HAL for delays.

 

[Sudha]

Alright, this is now starting to get ridiculous. Penalties against GE need to start now. Enough is enough. Supply chain issues are one thing, but if the US wants to do the geopolitical game here, then we need to put up some sign to them in return.

You are correct. But simultaneously we have to put penalties on HAL too for delaying deliveries. Blaming GE only is not right. HAL chose an aero engine the production of which had stopped. It was a wrong decision of HAL.

 

[Ravin1]

GE and the USA want us to buy their other aircraft, while South Korea, a partner country in GE404 engines, is delaying supply as it wants its own aircraft to dominate the market and not Tejas.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

What about MK2? Should we design that from the scratch?

Our own engine for the same category will take 1 or 2 decades.
Scout for similar engines globally - non US vendor. Try to design the jet so that it can be used with alternate engine we find from non US vendor as well. Heard somewhere about 5th gen derivative of RD33 with 110 KN thrust.

 

[Jagroshan singh]

Our own engine for the same category will take 1 or 2 decades.
Scout for similar engines globally - non US vendor. Try to design the jet so that it can be used with alternate engine we find from non US vendor as well. Heard somewhere about 5th gen derivative of RD33 with 110 KN thrust.

Even we just leak a fake news from media that India is looking or testing Russian RD33 engines on Tejas platform.
I am damn sure, the next day we are going to hear that 15-20 F404 engine is out for delivery to India.

 

[Jagroshan singh]

You are correct. But simultaneously we have to put penalties on HAL too for delaying deliveries. Blaming GE only is not right. HAL chose an aero engine the production of which had stopped. It was a wrong decision of HAL.

Exactly, it is similar to what we went through that world wide outage of Windows computers.
Microsoft was blaming the CrowdStrike for that outage. Since we paid to Microsoft, so the responsibility should be taken by them only.

In the same way, IAF gave order to HAL. We don't what to know who is the supplier or contractor. HAL should take the responsibility and bear the penalities as well, instead of blaming it to GE and whatever.

 

[kumar]

This just shows the pathetic state of affairs in weapons development. Irony is, even now we have not invested in engine test infrastructure within our country.

 

[bonito]

🤦‍♂️ We still believe Tejas II will be powered by GE engine and so we have not penalized them. We better writeoff IAF.

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

Our own engine for the same category will take 1 or 2 decades.
Scout for similar engines globally - non US vendor. Try to design the jet so that it can be used with alternate engine we find from non US vendor as well. Heard somewhere about 5th gen derivative of RD33 with 110 KN thrust.

HAL should not very dependent on American engines. They should venture out with other global players in engine manufacturing and collaborate in their fighter engine know how. The other thing is that why HAL did not do long term planning for the engines, this could have avoided the waiting since March 2024.

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

Alright, this is now starting to get ridiculous. Penalties against GE need to start now. Enough is enough. Supply chain issues are one thing, but if the US wants to do the geopolitical game here, then we need to put up some sign to them in return.

Absolutely agree. This would make the Americans think that they should not take the Indians for a ride. Global supply chain issues are understandable but the Americans should also understand that an important project has been on hold disrupting the schedule behind by one year.

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

This is a disaster, and MOD, HAL, GOI, and IAF, besides GE and geopolitics are to blame! Really poor planning and horrible execution - and see how exposed we are!

Question is how do we fix this quickly?

Top management executives has to be proactive in their forecasts, long-term planning to avoid long delays disrupting the entire schedule.

 

[Hey]

Absolutely right. HAL will invent some other excuse to delay deliveries. It is time to penalise HAL for delays.

You can't penalize HAL or GE; there is always a clause of "Act of God." China & Russia are restricting component supply to the EU & West, and then there is the Russia-Ukraine war, and GE is resuming production of the GE-404; their partners have shifted to other projects.

The GE-404 deal was G2G, so it would be stupid to think that you can blame any DPSU or private sector unit.