How Rolls-Royce's AMCA Engine Offer with New 6th-Gen Design and Adaptability to Power other Jets Dwarfs Safran's M88-Based Engine Proposal

India's pursuit of a domestically produced fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), has reached a critical phase as it weighs competing proposals from the UK's Rolls-Royce and France's Safran to co-develop its engine.

The decision is pivotal, not only for the future of the Indian Air Force (IAF) but also for India's long-term goal of achieving self-reliance in critical defence technologies.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is tasked with selecting a partner to build a powerful 110-130 kilonewton (kN) thrust engine for the advanced AMCA Mk2 variant.

While both European aerospace giants have offered full technology transfer, their underlying approaches present different technological and strategic futures for India's aerospace industry.

Safran's Proposal: An M88 Engine Derivative​

French engine manufacturer Safran has put forward a proposal based on its proven M88 engine, which currently powers the Dassault Rafale fighters in service with the IAF. The offer involves developing a higher-thrust variant of the M88, a fourth-generation engine, to meet the AMCA's requirements.

This proposal is positioned to leverage offset obligations from the 2016 Rafale procurement deal and has included suggestions of supporting the revival of India's indigenous Kaveri jet engine program.

However, basing the new engine on the M88's older architecture raises concerns about its ability to meet the advanced performance metrics of a fifth-generation fighter, such as supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburners) and low infrared signature.

A significant point of apprehension stems from past collaborations, where disagreements over the sharing of core technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) have led to delays and unfulfilled objectives, most notably in a previous effort to jointly upgrade the Kaveri engine.

Rolls-Royce's Offer: A Clean-Sheet, Sixth-Generation Design​

In contrast, Rolls-Royce has proposed developing an entirely new engine from a "clean-sheet" design.

This offer is built around cutting-edge sixth-generation technologies, including a Variable Cycle Engine (VCE). VCE technology allows an engine to dynamically alter its bypass ratio, optimising performance for both high-speed combat and efficient cruising.

This adaptability is projected to provide significant improvements in fuel efficiency and range, crucial for the AMCA's intended operational profile.

A key differentiator in the British proposal is its long-term vision. Rolls-Royce has suggested that the core technology from the AMCA engine could be adapted to create a family of higher-thrust turbofan engines, potentially ranging from 140 to 280 kN.

These engines could power future medium and heavy military transport aircraft for the IAF and even be used in civilian jets, creating a broad domestic aerospace ecosystem.

This approach promises greater economies of scale and reduces lifecycle costs across multiple aircraft platforms.

Strategic Implications for India​

The decision facing GTRE extends beyond technical specifications to the heart of India's strategic ambitions under the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" initiative.

Full ownership of Intellectual Property Rights is a non-negotiable demand for India, a lesson learned from the stalled Kaveri program, where restricted access to core technology prevented independent development.

Rolls-Royce has guaranteed 100% IPR and Transfer of Technology (ToT), which would grant India complete control over manufacturing, future upgrades, and potential exports.

While Safran has more recently matched this offer on paper, historical precedents have created skepticism among analysts regarding long-term dependency on French suppliers for critical components and upgrades.

The choice is between adapting a proven, but older, fourth-generation engine and co-creating a new sixth-generation powerhouse. The former offers a direct line from an existing platform, while the latter promises a technological leap, greater versatility for India's wider aviation ambitions, and complete strategic autonomy over a critical military technology for decades to come.

The final selection, expected by the end of the year, will chart the course for India's combat aviation capabilities and its position as a defence manufacturing power.

 

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[Gary Watts]

No Brainer. GCAP will be a flying power hungry electronic warfare platform. RR has a dedicated power systems division. The plane is slated to have lasers. It’s not just about lifting an airframe into the air anymore.

 

[R. Singh]

India must seek tech for 90-95 KN and jointly develop 110-130 KN engine with Rolls Royce to get rid off US black mail for GE engines !

 

[sanket]

Nice, that's what I have been saying for 1000 times. Safran wants critical components to be manufactured in France and hold on it and then supply these components. It will make us dependent on Safran even after engine development cost is paid. France has a history of milking money. It wants to develop M88 with a couple of variants, one for Rafale and another for AMCA as well as FCAS.

I have several times said Safran failed to fulfill the 36 Rafale offset clause. There is no point in selecting Safran as a foreign partner for AMCA engine development; it's just a formality for RR to be selected. It's all over for France. This article is an eye-opener for those who were suggesting Safran. In the future, it will make it difficult to modify the engine with higher thrust. It's a bitter taste from the past with Safran; even in 2007/08, when GTRE approached Safran, it didn't help.

Already France is not ready for sharing source code for Rafale, plus integration of third-party weapons like SPICE, instead pushing for HAMMER just to get regular dividends, another experience with Mirage-2000 upgrade. Development cost is going to be paid by GTRE; why does Safran want a hold on it and want to control, just to milk more money in the future, similar to the Mirage-2000 deal? Even in Rafale, it wants control over DRAL with 100% stake and is unwilling to share stake with private players from Bharat. Countdown has begun for the announcement of the foreign partner, 50 days to go.

 

[Arjuna]

Yes we should go for Rolls Royce offer. This seems to be the better future especially when we are getting sixth-generation design.

 

[king dorm]

The thing is, Rolls-Royce is building a new engine for us. Since our AMCA program is also in the development phase, building a plane and its engine together from level zero allows more room for modifications and making things better. So, yes, Rolls-Royce is the perfect choice. If this deal goes through, we will finally have an engine that we know inside out; that's completely ours.

 

[Provocateur Extraordinaire]

For the first time, it might make sense for India to go for the devil you don't know rather than the devil you know. The experience with the French is tried and tested, and they have shafted us every time it came to delivering on their promises. RR is totally new, so might as well go with them and discover how they honour their commitments.

 

[swatkats_razor]

I recall, Rolls-Royce has been more liberal with IPR transfer than other vendors. Cannot say for the present, as the Rolls-Royce firm has undergone much change since the era when they were known to make jet engines prolifically for aircraft around the world.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Geopolitical and financial calculations can later stall such types of projects. For a country like India, spending $3 billion is not a very big amount for niche technology. Over the years, we will recover much more than this investment. Go with both companies. With Safran, go for a 110 KN engine and with Rolls-Royce for a 145 KN engine.

 

[vasu gali]

Rolls-Royce is yet to develop the required engines. Assuming that these engines will be developed by 2035 to be utilised for AMCA, Russian 117S engines could be considered for immediate necessities, like the Super Sukhoi, even if the Su-57 is not considered.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

Given the stakes involved for India, we should go in with both partners independently. There is an extremely high chance of something going wrong during development and one of them backing out or holding back technology. If we go in with only one partner, there is a high chance that we will be left high and dry and back to square one, like every time earlier. Yes, financially, it would be a drag, but given the desired outcome, it would be well worth it!

 

[Ashish Kumar]

All these powerplant required fine tuning in the case of Safran M88 which is having unrated thrust & a complete New engine in the case of Rolls royce which will take minimum 8-10 years as both are in nascent stage.It is better to have complete TOT with saturn AL51 F Which is actually an imroved engine having high thrust output for 5th generation fighter.Al -51 is already a stealth powerplant with 140 kN of thrust output which can easily be used in AMCA as well s future combat aircraft.The only drawback is it's bigger size as it is made for Heavier aircraft like SU MKI 30 & SU-57.It can be modulated further to reduce its size for medium aircraft like TEJAS MK2.

 

[Nobody In here]

Rolls-Royce is yet to develop the required engines. Assuming that these engines will be developed by 2035 to be utilised for AMCA, Russian 117S engines could be considered for immediate necessities, like the Super Sukhoi, even if the Su-57 is not considered.

Are you not aware that RR is also developing engine for the Tempest?

 

[sanjiv]

I knew the US would cheat on F404 and F414 and wanted EJ200 for Tejas, but F404 was selected, and now engines are delayed by 2 years. The best is Rolls-Royce, as it can be modified for other aircraft for transport and bombers. Besides, one of the current largest engines on commercial planes is also from RR.

 

[P10]

Rolls-Royce is British. The UK is soon becoming a Pakistani-owned country. Beware of IP and engine secrets ending up with ISI.

Also, the UK is a vassal state of America. The US can always remote control and slow down the project or cause disruptions.

Safran does not face these geopolitical risks.

 

[Kira]

Geopolitical and financial calculations can later stall such types of projects. For a country like India, spending $3 billion is not a very big amount for niche technology. Over the years, we will recover much more than this investment. Go with both companies. With Safran, go for a 110 KN engine and with Rolls-Royce for a 145 KN engine.

I don't think you can afford two projects at the same time, and there won't be any need to develop two engines separately as any newer engines would be de-rated for lower thrust, so it's better to stick with the RR offer.

 

[vasu gali]

Are you not aware that RR is also developing engine for the Tempest?

RR engine can be used for AMCA from 2035 onwards. The 177S engine could be considered for Super Sukhoi—an immediate necessity for which the RR engine under development is not available.

 

[IndiJoe]

Rolls-Royce is yet to develop the required engines. Assuming that these engines will be developed by 2035 to be utilised for AMCA, Russian 117S engines could be considered for immediate necessities, like the Super Sukhoi, even if the Su-57 is not considered.

177s for immediate necessity? Are you aware that 177s is still not production-ready? It still needs significant investment, development, and testing, and then will have to undergo certification. That's still some way to go.

Although the news here is that India has responded to the Russian offer for that engine, but with two strict and non-negotiable clauses. Russia will have to agree to 100% ToT and will need to send its engineers to India for development and testing. Pretty tough and onerous conditions. Let us see where it goes.

 

[MK]

For IAF future capabilities, we need Russian, French, Israeli, and indigenous weapons because they continue doing good R&D work. So, in the future, IAF needs SU-57, AMCA, and French 5th Gen fighter jets to launch future innovative and smart weapons.

Rolls-Royce is providing engines for the Turkish fifth-gen fighter jet. We previously made a mistake that we chose the GE engine for Tejas, and we struggled due to deep state tactics, and the same will happen if we choose Rolls-Royce.

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

The RR offer makes sense, but we need to sign on the dotted line fast and get working on them so that we can get them by 2035. Time and tide waits for no one.

 

[SEADer]

Variable-cycle engines are cutting-edge; it is highly doubtful that any foreign country would allow technology transfer of such a critical technology.

Production-grade jet engines are harder to manufacture than even nuclear weapons. Only a few nations can do so, with China only recently managing to beat out the Russians after pouring billions and putting their best minds into it.