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In a significant strategic shift aimed at fast-tracking a critical indigenous defence project, India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) will test its new Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) directly on the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).
This decision bypasses the original plan to use a crewed Tejas light combat aircraft for initial trials, signalling a new approach to accelerate the engine's final clearance.
The KDE is a locally developed turbofan engine that produces a thrust of 49 kilonewtons (kN) in its current "dry" configuration (without an afterburner). The project is now approaching its final stages of certification.
According to official sources, the last phase of crucial overseas evaluations, which includes high-altitude performance tests, is scheduled to begin in Russia next month.
The programme has recently been bolstered by a fresh allocation of government funds to ensure its development milestones are met without delay.
The selection of the Ghatak UCAV as a testbed highlights a synergy between two of the country's most advanced aerospace projects.
The Ghatak programme, which is developing a stealthy autonomous combat drone, is also awaiting final developmental clearance and the associated funding.
Once approved, the plan involves producing four to five prototypes. One of these early unmanned airframes will be specifically designated as the flying test platform for the Kaveri engine.
Engineers at GTRE, a key laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), are confident that the KDE will achieve its designed performance parameters during the upcoming airborne trials.
The success of these tests on the Ghatak platform is a critical first step. Following a successful evaluation, the next phase will involve integrating the engine with an afterburner section. This upgraded variant will then undergo flight testing on an early series production model of the Tejas aircraft.
The long-term objective of the Kaveri engine programme is to create a powerful, domestically produced powerplant for India's fighter jets.
If the afterburner-equipped variant successfully achieves its target thrust of around 80 kN, it could serve as a viable indigenous replacement for the American-made General Electric F404 engine, which currently powers the Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A fighter fleets.
Such a development would be a landmark achievement, drastically reducing India's reliance on imported military hardware and significantly strengthening the nation's self-reliance in aerospace and defence technology.
