HAL Anticipates Up To 20 More GE F404 Engines By Year End To Scale Up Tejas Mk1A Production

The engine supply chain for India's indigenous Tejas Mk1A fighter jet initiative is set to see substantial improvements in the coming months.

Speaking during the recent fourth-quarter financial briefing for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director Ravi Kota announced that the aerospace firm has taken delivery of six F404-IN20 engines from the American manufacturer GE Aerospace.

Furthermore, HAL projects the arrival of an additional 15 to 20 powerplants before the close of the current calendar year.

This development represents a crucial breakthrough for the advanced light combat aircraft project, which had previously grappled with timeline setbacks linked to international delivery bottlenecks.

In February 2021, the Ministry of Defence formalized a ₹46,898 crore agreement for 83 Tejas Mk1A fighters to bolster the Indian Air Force (IAF).

However, worldwide supply chain constraints hampered GE Aerospace's ability to maintain its production schedules for the 84 kilonewton (kN) thrust engines, thereby putting pressure on India's manufacturing targets.

With a steady influx of these essential components on the horizon, HAL anticipates a stabilization of its manufacturing operations, paving the way for a methodical increase in aircraft assembly.

Kota noted that the initial batch of received engines is currently moving through various phases of testing and integration.

Additionally, technical validation is ongoing as HAL engineers finalize the sophisticated upgrades unique to the Mk1A variant, which includes an advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile capabilities, and an updated electronic warfare suite.

Securing 15 to 20 more engines by the end of the year will be instrumental in escalating the production tempo at HAL's facilities.

Defence sector analysts project that this revitalized supply line will empower the state-owned manufacturer to dramatically boost its annual aircraft output throughout the upcoming 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 financial cycles, ensuring faster delivery schedules.

The IAF continues to monitor the progress of the Tejas Mk1A program with keen interest, driven by the pressing need to reverse the depletion of its combat squadron numbers.

As legacy Soviet-era aircraft, particularly the aging MiG-21 fleets, are systematically phased out of active duty, the modernized indigenous Tejas is positioned to become a foundational element of India's aerial defence strategy for decades to come.

 

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[sriki]

even if GE gave 100 engines tonight i doubt they would deliver a single flying unit by the year end.
Typical Indian behavior of putting the blame on someone else and washing your hand off the problem.

 

[ajaydate]

GE (US) has successfully scuttled India's capacity to build top tier fighter aircraft.
Pathetic of HAL to use words like "Anticipate".

 

[Sanjay 62]

We can concentrate first in delivering 1st Tejas MK1A and then talk about delivery of engines.

 

[Vasugali]

Despite all the drawbacks and criticism, HAL/Tejas MKIA deserve all the needed support to bolster IAF. Rafael is not offering source code/ICD etc., Russian SU 57 is riddled with so many problems despite TOT offer. So Tejas MKIA/MK2 should be promoted in the interest of the country as better late than never

 

[Krishna with flute]

More Bravado of Bas***ds. Have you guys delivered the Mk1 A whose engines are available? What happened to those 6 planes which were scheduled to deliver before March. Now MWF roll out extended by 1 year.

 

[SanjayM]

HAL should give a picture on how many engine GE already delivered n how many Tejas actual fitted with those. Also give the time. No future stat but what completed only.

 

[j p]

Despite all the drawbacks and criticism, HAL/Tejas MKIA deserve all the needed support to bolster IAF. Rafael is not offering source code/ICD etc., Russian SU 57 is riddled with so many problems despite TOT offer. So Tejas MKIA/MK2 should be promoted in the interest of the country as better late than never

HAL should be restructured and privatizsed...for the benefit of the armed forces....the aircraft they are HOPEFULLY inducting are with decades old tech and just a numerical addition to the airforce...no value add

 

[Ravi Krishna Iyengar]

HAL is struggling to make both ends meet. It is not approaching a complete life cycle End of Service approach.

 

[FROST]

Anticipation? No .only Constipation in delivery

 

[Sridhar1761]

Over years, HAL has not been unduly pressuring GE to adhere to its engine delivery schedules. Want to know why? Delays in the delivery of engines served as a convenient fig leaf for HAL to cover its own glaring lapses and shortcomings. Now, assuming that the babus at the public sector behemoth do stick to their latest promise (a hazardous assumption given their stellar record so far), the IAF will receive a diluted version of the fighters it had ordered for. In other words, after years of unconscionable delays, the IAF will be making up its fleet strength with a technologically compromised fighter, playing catch-up with its peers around the world, including China and even Pakistan.

 

[Spitfire9]

From what I read in the article above I think that HAL's chairman was simply speculating on engine deliveries. He did not say that GE had contacted HAL and promised delivery of x engines by date y.

No mention of the certification issue in the article. I assume HAL's chairman did not mention it in his speech.

I await an amazing coincidence - HAL being drowned in engine deliveries soon after the certification issue is resolved. That would absolve HAL of all responsibility for the Mk1A delivery delay.