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The Indian Air Force's (IAF) acquisition of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk1A has encountered another setback due to delays in engine deliveries from General Electric (GE). Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the aircraft's manufacturer, is now preparing to install used engines as a temporary solution, casting further doubt on the November delivery timeline.
A defence official revealed, "Not a single engine has been received so far. They are now expected to be delivered from September onwards." To mitigate the delay, HAL, in collaboration with the IAF, has devised a plan to equip the initial batch of LCA-Mk1A jets with Category-2, or used, engines until the new GE F-404 engines arrive.
The Defence Ministry signed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL for 83 LCA-Mk1A fighters in February 2021, followed by a $716 million contract with GE Aviation for 99 F404 engines in August 2021. The original delivery schedule stipulated three LCA-Mk1A jets by February 2024, with 16 aircraft per year for the following five years.
GE Aerospace acknowledged the "unprecedented supply chain pressures" plaguing the aerospace industry and assured that they are working with HAL and suppliers to resolve constraints and deliver the F404-IN20 engines as soon as possible.
While manufacturing of the jets is ongoing at HAL, the engine delay remains the primary obstacle. Officials remain optimistic that a small batch of jets can be delivered swiftly once a sufficient number of engines are received, with a revised goal of delivering at least one LCA-Mk1A by year-end and eight to nine jets by the end of the fiscal year.
The delay is a cause for concern for the IAF, as the LCA is slated to form a significant portion of its fleet in the coming decades. The LCA-Mk1A is crucial for arresting the decline in fighter squadron strength and subsequently increasing it.
In addition to the 83 Mk1A aircraft on order, the Defence Ministry has granted preliminary approval for the procurement of another 97 LCA-Mk1A, bringing the total to 180 Mk1A jets alongside 220 jets of the Mk1 variant. The combined cost of the 180 Mk1As is estimated at ₹1.15 lakh crore.
Furthermore, a larger and more capable LCA-Mk2, powered by GE F-414 engines, is under development. A deal to license manufacture the F-414 engines in India is in its final stages, with the IAF committing to procuring around 120 LCA-Mk2 aircraft.
