Rotax Engine Acquisition by Chinese Firm Fuels Security Concerns Over India's Tapas and Archer-NG UAV Programs

A recent acquisition in the aviation industry has raised red flags in India and beyond. The purchase of Rotax engines by a Chinese group has sparked concerns about potential security risks and strategic implications, particularly for countries that rely on these engines for their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs.

Rotax engines, manufactured by Austria's BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG (owned by Canada's Bombardier Recreational Products), are renowned for their reliability and performance in various aviation applications, including UAVs. These small, powerful engines have become a popular choice in the UAV sector due to their efficiency and versatility.

The concern stems from the 2017 acquisition of Austro Engine, part of the Diamond Aircraft Group, by China's Wanfeng Aviation Industry. This acquisition raises questions about potential technology transfer and Chinese control over critical aerospace components.

India's Tapas and Archer-NG Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs currently utilize Rotax engines, highlighting the strategic importance of this technology for India's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. With the engines now linked to Chinese interests, concerns have emerged about potential vulnerabilities, including the possibility of embedded backdoors or disruptions in supply chains during geopolitical tensions.

In response to these concerns, India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has accelerated its efforts to develop a locally manufactured 220 horsepower engine for its production UAVs. This move aligns with India's broader strategy to enhance self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the 'Make in India' initiative.

However, developing an engine that matches or exceeds the capabilities of the Rotax engines presents significant technological challenges. Achieving the right balance of power, efficiency, and reliability is crucial. Even as India strives for indigenous solutions, the interconnected nature of global supply chains means that complete independence from foreign technology may not be feasible in the near future.

 

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[Surfer]

Europe has long become Chinese mainly France and Germany, why can’t any Indian private company sense this company’s situation and offer to buy them before the Chinese.

 

[sanket]

This Engine were bought before it was acquired by chinese Firm second this are for only prototype or testing purpose & for production variant it will have Indigenous variant Engine

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Only under challenges or export restrictions we turn to indigenous R&D. This attitude must change.

 

[DB_NE_Guy]

If China clash with US over Taiwan then it would be basically Western weapon (EU) vs Western weapon (US).

France and other smaller EU states have been selling engines to China to power their weapons since many decades ago.

 

[Sunny]

We already have deal with France for developing IMRH engine, maybe we can also sign contract to develop multiple UAV engines upto 300hp.

 

[Dragon]

What were our companies doing? Why didn't our government encourage private companies to do such take overs ? Most of our private companies are disappointments.

 

[vinod nair]

When it was up for sale who's who was sleeping?

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

Strategic acquisitions must be promoted by the Govt to protect and bolster our national interests.
Should have out bid the chineese if we wanted it.

 

[Ronit Singh]

If our defense industrial complex florise in future and GDP growth remains stable our defence company will also get more involve in aquring defence companies of strategic interest

 

[B kandikunta]

Europe has long become Chinese mainly France and Germany, why can’t any Indian private company sense this company’s situation and offer to buy them before the Chinese.

We buy only built product with 4x money, drdo even they develop our military and politicians won't buy or induct into military

 

[local_yokel]

Only under challenges or export restrictions we turn to indigenous R&D. This attitude must change.

In a country where wasting time and accepting bribes in AC office is considered more prestigious than sweating, making testing, failing .. and finally succeeding on the factory floor, culture of R&D cannot be developed.

Govt has to safeguard the inventor, the researcher, the craftsman. But here, they are set up to fail. Or their trade secrets are stolen. Or they are acquired by some unscrupulous businessman, while the govt watches silently.

This is the single biggest curse of colonialism. Sarkar wants modern India but babus want to control without putting in hard work. Labour of others is free ka maal for them. Toxic mindset.

 

[Bhishma]

Stop losing your sleep over it. Archer NG uses a 180Hp engine.

From DRDO site:

VRDE has developed the high specific power diesel engine for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The Indigenous engine produces take-off power of 180 hp constant up to 11,000 ft. The engine has been successfully tested for power, Thrust and fuel consumption on the Dynamometer and Thrust cradle. The Fully Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system is indigenously developed and extensively tested with engine. The engine is tested and validated for high-altitude performance for altitude up-to 17, 664 at Leh and Changla. Also, the engine has been extensively proven for 1100+ hours on stringent test profiles. The taxi trials of the indigenous engines were completed successfully with UAV.

This is so low tech. We should just use commercial engines and be done with it. This is from Ashok Leyland's site:

Ashok Leyland has a wide range of engines from 49 – 450 hp with value added product and service solutions that suit the customer requirement. The product portfolio covers both 4 and 6 cylinders. Dedicated R&D that focuses on future technologies for product development and adherence to emission standards enable Ashok Leyland to offer differentiated products that have better power-torque performance and fluid economy. The common platform of engines ranging from 49 to 220 hp have been designed to meet future emission standards.

Aspiring entrepreneurs should just get an engine from Ashok Leyland and build an UAV. Start selling to other countries & prove it. Then put the pressure on our govt to buy them. I still dont get with country as huge as India with massive number of vehicles internally produced have to rely on a foreign company for the engine.

 

[Srinivas Gullapalli]

Europe has long become Chinese mainly France and Germany, why can’t any Indian private company sense this company’s situation and offer to buy them before the Chinese.

If any such move is thwarted by a report like Hindenburg. Don't know why India has so many enemies in the blanket though it do not have much technology or economic or political prowess

 

[Srinivas Gullapalli]

We buy only built product with 4x money, drdo even they develop our military and politicians won't buy or induct into military

That too our reservation engineers will not let the flight fly.

 

[Alok Gupta]

Now that the Chinese own it, Indian companies should not hesitate to copy and reverse engineer this engine. Afterall, China is the vishwaguru in copying other country's technology!

 

[Strongman]

I'm sorry, Rotax engines are used by experimental (home built) aircrafts in the US and west. MQ drone uses it but.......really????? Indian Companies don't have the engineering skils to develop a piston powerd engine??

 

[Muthukumar Ponnambalam]

If India doesn't act fast and acquire technologies and / or products like this first, it WILL ALWAYS BE CONCERNED.

 

[BCharlie]

When it was up for sale who's who was sleeping?

No Sir, we were not sleeping ... we were talking & taking & talking & talking & .......

 

[alpha numeric]

Oh wow. A Chinese corporation has acquired a key industrial manufacturing entity in the west. Such a surprise. Meanwhile indian companies are polishing diamonds and preaching to Americans about the benefits of H1B visas and Indians are preening about TATA motors selling unreliable British trash like JLR vehicles. Mera Bharat Mahan.