How HAL's HTSE-1200 Breakthrough Helped Secure Complete ToT of Ardiden 1H1 Shakti Engine From Safran

In a major boost for India's self-reliance in the aerospace sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has secured a complete transfer of technology (ToT) for the Shakti 1H1 engines from Safran.

This landmark achievement empowers HAL to take full control of the manufacturing process for these crucial engines that power a variety of Indian helicopters, including the ALH MKIII (Dhruv), MK IV (Rudra – WSI), and LCH (Light Combat Helicopter).

The Shakti engine, a derivative of Safran's Ardiden 1H1, is specially designed for high-altitude operations, making it indispensable for India's challenging terrains.

With a projected demand for nearly 2000 engines in the coming two decades, HAL's decision to develop its own turboshaft engine, the HTSE-1200, stemmed from a strategic imperative to reduce reliance on external suppliers.

Safran, recognizing the potential impact of the HTSE-1200 on its business, opted to transfer the complete technology for the Shakti engines to HAL. This move guarantees a continued supply of these critical components for HAL's helicopter programs while also ensuring Safran's continued involvement in India's aerospace industry.

Although HAL has already manufactured 500 Shakti engines, certain components were previously produced under license from Safran.

With the complete ToT, HAL gains full autonomy over the entire manufacturing process, encompassing rotor dynamic analysis, casing design, static parts stress analysis, HMU (Hydromechanical Unit) system design, and electrical harness system. Safran will facilitate the technology transfer for their portion of the system, previously handled by them.

This complete ToT represents a significant milestone for HAL and the Indian aerospace sector, showcasing India's growing prowess in designing and manufacturing advanced aerospace components.

 

[Sandeep]

This is great news as now we can maintain, repair and overhaul the Shakti engines that’s currently in service at a much cheaper price and 100% indigenously.

HAL should not stop developing our own 100% indigenous HTSE-1200 engine because it is more powerful than the Shakti engine. It’s been showing good progress but we still need a few more years to test the engine in flight during different seasons, weather and conditions. So until then we should use the Shakti engine and manufacture 100% of it in India until we need to replace it with the HTSE-1200 after it finishes its lifespan.

 

[Anurag]

2011 (can be off by an year or so). In Russia. It was on an Il76 plane.

Kaveri has been WIP for 3 decades and nothing will happen till DRDO is thrown off the project. They have been showing us these fake dreams for decades and that’s why IAF and MoD don’t trust them anymore.

You still stuck up in 2011?? Well what about latest updates of dry kaveri variant??

Well people usually stuck at dark times and never been able to see the rising sun!! So sad

 

[Anurag]

Not ready enough to be used in my Indian products.

My Indian product?? That's a bold claim while I will appreciate you for this claim but if you are not going to back up in house designed and built these beauties then how you are going to say My beloved Indian product!!!

 

[Akshat]

Complete HTSE engine soon.

Not so soon as it may seen day of light in 2025 and don't know how much more time to mature enough to be used in any platforms

 

[Leo red]

They are playing politics don't trust this companies HAL should work on independence we can wait for this. Don't trust safran any more.

 

[Kailash]

2011 (can be off by an year or so). In Russia. It was on an Il76 plane.

Kaveri has been WIP for 3 decades and nothing will happen till DRDO is thrown off the project. They have been showing us these fake dreams for decades and that’s why IAF and MoD don’t trust them anymore.

You keep repeating this ji, do you have any credible sources on this claim of yours?

On a more generic note, understanding what you do about aero engines, how can any low bypass turbofan engine "explode" ? Under what conditions? Pray explain..

 

[Nishant]

Good news. However, just because Safran is now offering 100% ToT should not mean some bright sparks gets the idea to delay/ cancel the HTSE-1200. Let work on that engine progress alongside, and we should try to integrate those engines on helicopters being built after development is completed.

I agree... the indigenous design and technology will have IPR rights and can be used in other spheres. Also, if HTSE1200 achieves same performance as Shakti engines, then this could reduce the royalty payments to SAFRAN on each engine further produced.
This achievement can provide us know how and will encourage scientist to develop more powerful engines.

 

[Akshat]

You keep repeating this ji, do you have any credible sources on this claim of yours?

On a more generic note, understanding what you do about aero engines, how can any low bypass turbofan engine "explode" ? Under what conditions? Pray explain..

Might have used the wrong word. It caught fire. And I have already provided the proof many a times here. You will have to look for it this time. Can’t go and look for the same like every week, can I now?

 

[Kickasser]

This isn't a good news if the HTSE-1200 program is scuttled for the Ardiden engines

 

[Akshat]

My Indian product?? That's a bold claim while I will appreciate you for this claim but if you are not going to back up in house designed and built these beauties then how you are going to say My beloved Indian product!!!

Backing up is not the issue. GoI and our military backs all Indian products to the helm. Problem is that whatever DRDO and DPSUs touch turns out to be a failure. So indeed, we have to remove them and then we might have our beloved Indian products.

 

[Rajesh]

Good news after a while . Even if safran provides 100 percent of tot we should continue htfe1200 development which is a 1200kw engine, meanwhile sakthi engines which are less than 1200kw can be used for other applications if requirement arise . This fecility can be use to make the engines for the airbus helicopter tata will be assembling in india which itself is from safran.
govt should also go for a deal in a similar one with safran to make m88-3 engines which should go with rafale and mk1a reducing dependency on an untrustworthy partner .

 

[Anurag]

Backing up is not the issue. GoI and our military backs all Indian products to the helm. Problem is that whatever DRDO and DPSUs touch turns out to be a failure. So indeed, we have to remove them and then we might have our beloved Indian products.

That's one way of thinking!! Well without proper back up and planning we will be doomed and it will be really hard to say that we still don't have replacement in this field, many are using monopoly in the defence sector and just removing them will be disastrous situation for our military and Nation

Surely it's an issue no one wants to back up the R&D and a bit of delay everyone wants finished product and that to be best inducting them in blocks and through upgrade find it to be difficult for everyone!!

 

[Koorma]

The French have said yes to ToT, but they will retract this. Because they always do this. Then HAL will be forced to buy again, paying a lot more.

 

[Akshat]

That's one way of thinking!! Well without proper back up and planning we will be doomed and it will be really hard to say that we still don't have replacement in this field, many are using monopoly in the defence sector and just removing them will be disastrous situation for our military and Nation

Surely it's an issue no one wants to back up the R&D and a bit of delay everyone wants finished product and that to be best inducting them in blocks and through upgrade find it to be difficult for everyone!!

Again, you are missing the truth. GoI has backed DRDO and specifically GTRE to the hilt. A practical blank check was given to them. Many extensions too. No one asked them to deliver the best product. Many nations had better engines even before Kaveri started. Foreign consultants were brought in. Forget minor delays, decades of delays were granted. So everything that could have been done by GoI was done. But despite such massive support GTRE just failed to get anything done. So keeping them is what’s truly disastrous for military and the nation. They won’t do the work themselves and won’t let anyone else do it either. We have to remove them if we have to achieve something.

 

[Pad UwU]

Let's wait first when they can truly produce it here before rejoicing from France giving up full 100% of ToT's heli engine 🙃😺

 

[linus52]

Just because we got TOT, HAL should not stop it's work for HTSE 1200

HTSE 1200 should be put on FAST Track and 70% components out sourced to private vompanies