No Alternate Engine Available for Tejas Mk1A as Kaveri Engine Still Facing Delays

India's ambitious Tejas Mk1A program is facing potential setbacks due to the ongoing delays in the supply of F404 engines from GE Aerospace. These delays, stemming from supply chain constraints, are predicted to push back the delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) by 10-12 months.

A critical concern lies in the lack of a readily available alternative engine for the Tejas Mk1A. The aircraft was specifically designed around the F404 engine, and other options are either not feasible or years away from being ready. India's indigenous Kaveri engine, though promising, faces its own set of delays and won't be production-ready for another 5-6 years. Meanwhile, the RD-33 engine, once considered a fallback option, is no longer viable.

Despite the engine supply hiccups, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will continue manufacturing the Tejas Mk1A at its current pace. This strategy aims to ensure the jets are ready for immediate delivery once the F404 engines become available again. GE Aerospace has stated it is working with HAL to address the supply chain bottlenecks and has set a target of September 2024 for resuming engine deliveries.

These delays are likely to have a cascading effect on the Indian Air Force's (IAF) plans for inducting the Tejas Mk1A. The IAF is actively looking to expand its fighter squadrons, and the Tejas Mk1A plays a crucial role in this strategic plan. Any delay in the aircraft's delivery could potentially impact the IAF's operational preparedness.

 

[sanket]

yes i said it september 2024 is new deadline and all pic would b clear by then.But even well established having decades of experience cant deliver engines on Times, India should take this seriously while selecting Foreign Partner for development of AMCA Engine.that will Impact Timelines of Stealth Fighter AMCA too.

 

[Sudha]

Another bungling by HAL. MK1a was HAL's baby & they decided to use an engine variant which had closed its line of producion. GOI should seriously restructure HAL so that it will run efficiently. Moreover only people with merit should be recruited by HAL (& to any other DPSUs) & a management which understands the commercial aspect of timely delivery & wise decision making. The management should not be from the military & recruited purely on the basis of capability of the candidate.

 

[Sudha]

yes i said it september 2024 is new deadline and all pic would b clear by then.But even well established having decades of experience cant deliver engines on Times, India should take this seriously while selecting Foreign Partner for development of AMCA Engine.that will Impact Timelines of Stealth Fighter AMCA too.

It is not only foreign OEMs (especially USA ones), the management of HAL also should be recruited on the basis of candidate's capabilities.

 

[NSR]

Perhaps India should go with Super Sukhoi upgrade with the new and powerful AL-41-1F-1C fighter engine and use this on a derivative of Tejas IA if it fits and definitely on Tejas Mk 2.

AL-41 engine is readily available and also there is already infrastructure to manufacture AL-31 which can help to absorb new engine TOT if Russia transfers.

Or go with ERJ-2000 engine which will go through too many sanctions by even two bit countries in Europe.

Not many better options left.

 

[Paul]

When did India order engines for the Tejas MK1A?

 

[Shafted mohammed]

Ok , get one old engine and fully assembled and ready few engines so that you get the engines nes recalibrate and hand over the planes in one week.My big quastion is is HAL ready to deliver the first plane , the answer is no and that must be addressed.

 

[sanket]

Perhaps India should go with Super Sukhoi upgrade with the new and powerful AL-41-1F-1C fighter engine and use this on a derivative of Tejas IA if it fits and definitely on Tejas Mk 2.

AL-41 engine is readily available and also there is already infrastructure to manufacture AL-31 which can help to absorb new engine TOT if Russia transfers.

Or go with ERJ-2000 engine which will go through too many sanctions by even two bit countries in Europe.

Not many better options left.

Euro-Jet is Multinational again there is risk to deal with.

 

[NSR]

Euro-Jet is Multinational again there is risk to deal with.

I wrote ----

" Or go with ERJ-2000 engine which will go through too many sanctions by even two bit countries in Europe.

Not many better options left. "

 

[sanket]

I wrote ----

" Or go with ERJ-2000 engine which will go through too many sanctions by even two bit countries in Europe.

Not many better options left. "

Then we have to select Euro-Fighter in MRFA to sweeten the Engine Deal

 

[sanket]

It is not only foreign OEMs (especially USA ones), the management of HAL also should be recruited on the basis of candidate's capabilities.

HAL can Integrate Airframes But what about Engines.............??? GE should have started Ramping up production once they signed the deal in 2021 (Three years ago) Production is depended on Orders IAF wants another 97 Tejas MK1A. There is good Business For GE. Its up too GE how they deal it now. wait & see september 2024 deadline From Last 10 months they are Giving new deadlines add one more to that.Testing Time for Indo-US Defence partnership.a very hard Time India is passing Through.

 

[Ravi]

Another bungling by HAL. MK1a was HAL's baby & they decided to use an engine variant which had closed its line of producion. GOI should seriously restructure HAL so that it will run efficiently. Moreover only people with merit should be recruited by HAL (& to any other DPSUs) & a management which understands the commercial aspect of timely delivery & wise decision making. The management should not be from the military & recruited purely on the basis of capability of the candidate.

Just like sez they should establish industrial zones where reservation will not apply for cutting edge technology. Income tax in these zones should also be reduced they should be like an experimental center which will promote the completeness of the Indian industry

 

[Ranjeet Singh]

Then better we make 169 + F-21+ F-36 here in India !

 

[Bharat007]

India deserves a spot in Guiness Book of World Records for taking longest time to mass produce Tejas fighter jet; total 40-50 years. Lol.

 

[AK S]

Another bungling by HAL. MK1a was HAL's baby & they decided to use an engine variant which had closed its line of producion. GOI should seriously restructure HAL so that it will run efficiently. Moreover only people with merit should be recruited by HAL (& to any other DPSUs) & a management which understands the commercial aspect of timely delivery & wise decision making. The management should not be from the military & recruited purely on the basis of capability of the candidate.

Btw, Engine was selected by IAF and the deal is G2G through FMS. HAL is responsible, but it’s really not their cup of tea. MoD and MoF should have pulled their weight about 10 months ago when GE failed to meet the delivery date and again missed the revised delivery date. Let’s see what happens in Sep.

Testing time for Indo-US defence cooperation. Alignment of interests with US is never gonna be easy as they’d always have some issue somewhere and India’s interest may be completely opposite. Unfortunately in this case we can’t oblige US on Ukraine. Russia is not Iran.

unfortunately our babus and IAF stopped funding for Kaveri some 15 years back. Tragic and short sighted. Not that Kaveri was ever funded properly, but even the paltry sum stopped too. Some 300m in today’s value was all that invested. Let’s see if our babus and IAF wakes up.

 

[op gupta]

Thanks to short sightedness shown by topper bureaucrats, politicians, drdo and hal India is in such a dilemma, 10 months waiting is nothing India can/should wait for many more months . India ditched a well crafted m88 safran engine to a slightly more powerful ge-404 engine so India has to wait there is no other option.

 

[Ramaka Sakala]

Fake experts are blocking RD33 engines options. They blocked french M88 also. They have succesfully blocked The progress of integrating mig29 RD33 since 20+ years when Tejas took its first flight. They could have started a separate program and keep a demonstrator ready. It doesnot matter Tejas with RD33 be produced or not. It could have been a integration demonstrator. HAL makes both Tejas and RD33. Its just an integration. But alas, the agents are so deep rooted and blocked it.

proposition to Indian govt. Decission is not complicated. If DRDO engineers fails to qualify kaveri and America asks Indians to sell kidneys for GE engines, then cancel Tejas and order more SU30MKI fighters. IAF will have more of the same (consolidate as 1 aircraft) and Su30 can replace all of the lower configuration fighters (mig29 to mig21 & jaguar). Demand 100% TOT, which Russia may agree. Upgrade but do not degrade like scavenging for mirage2000 fighters.

Announce AMCA will be based on SU30MKi engine too (AL31/41 which ever gets manufactured and available India now without causing any further delays).
Matter over. Ensure AMCA flies earlier than planned. Put all engineers to work on it as Tejas MK1A and MK2 stands cancelled. HAL production line will be busy with SU30 again till AMCA is ready to roll out

 

[beencensured]

Thanks to short sightedness shown by topper bureaucrats, politicians, drdo and hal India is in such a dilemma, 10 months waiting is nothing India can/should wait for many more months . India ditched a well crafted m88 safran engine to a slightly more powerful ge-404 engine so India has to wait there is no other option.

You know how these topper Bureaucrats cheat, loot and do anything for their position, and the country cannot say show any development because of them as they born from British philosophy of superiority and looting the country. .

 

[beencensured]

Fake experts are blocking RD33 engines options. They blocked french M88 also. They have succesfully blocked The progress of integrating mig29 RD33 since 20+ years when Tejas took its first flight. They could have started a separate program and keep a demonstrator ready. It doesnot matter Tejas with RD33 be produced or not. It could have been a integration demonstrator. HAL makes both Tejas and RD33. Its just an integration. But alas, the agents are so deep rooted and blocked it.

proposition to Indian govt. Decission is not complicated. If DRDO engineers fails to qualify kaveri and America asks Indians to sell kidneys for GE engines, then cancel Tejas and order more SU30MKI fighters. IAF will have more of the same (consolidate as 1 aircraft) and Su30 can replace all of the lower configuration fighters (mig29 to mig21 & jaguar). Demand 100% TOT, which Russia may agree. Upgrade but do not degrade like scavenging for mirage2000 fighters.

Announce AMCA will be based on SU30MKi engine too (AL31/41 which ever gets manufactured and available India now without causing any further delays).
Matter over. Ensure AMCA flies earlier than planned. Put all engineers to work on it as Tejas MK1A and MK2 stands cancelled. HAL production line will be busy with SU30 again till AMCA is ready to roll out

74kn after burning kaveri engine is good enough for tejas as ge engines do not much better and 90 kn after burning Kaveri is good enough for AMCA.

 

[मित्र]

USA doing its best to hamper Tejas production. It was a mistake from day one to put all ou eggs in USAs basket in case of engines and that too without local production and tot.