Safran-GTRE Engine to Match GE F414 Dimensions, Allowing Easy Retrofit for AMCA, Tejas Mk2 and TEDBF

French aerospace firm Safran Aircraft Engines has given assurances that its next-generation fighter engine, being co-developed with India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), will be designed with the exact physical specifications as the American-made General Electric F414 engine.

This strategic decision to match the engine's dimensions—including its length, diameter, and mounting interfaces—will create a "plug and play" powerplant.

Such a design would allow the new engine to be easily installed in any aircraft currently using the GE F414, paving the way for simple retrofits and dramatically simplifying logistics for India's future fighter fleet.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the new engine's footprint will mirror the F414’s approximate 4,000 mm length and 1,100 mm diameter.

This commonality is a key part of the ongoing joint development talks and is intended to accelerate integration timelines by minimising the need for any airframe modifications.

The new engine, which is projected to produce a powerful 120kN to 140kN of thrust, is critical for India's most ambitious aviation programmes.

The 120kN baseline variant is slated to power the production version (Mk2) of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India's fifth-generation stealth fighter. It is also the intended engine for the Navy's Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).

While the initial AMCA Mk1 prototypes will fly using the 98kN GE F414, the more powerful co-developed engine is essential for the definitive Mk2 version to achieve key performance metrics like supercruise (supersonic flight without afterburners).

This collaboration is expected to include a 100% Transfer of Technology (ToT) to India, a landmark step in building a sovereign defence industrial base.

This common design also offers a significant long-term upgrade path for the Tejas Mk2. The 4.5-generation Tejas Mk2 is set to enter production in the late 2020s using the GE F414.

With this new engine available, the Tejas Mk2 fleet could undergo a mid-life upgrade around the 2040s. This would provide the aircraft with the additional power needed to integrate next-generation weapons and enhanced sensors, ensuring it remains a formidable asset for decades.

The adoption of a common engine across the Tejas Mk2, AMCA, and TEDBF fleets promises multifaceted benefits. It would streamline maintenance, training, and the spare parts supply chain, potentially cutting fleet ownership costs significantly.

Economically, the full technology transfer under the "Make in India" initiative would create a domestic supply chain for over a thousand engines, bolstering strategic autonomy and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

 

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[P2S2]

Excellent news

 

[DS]

Spot on .

 

[elemental defence]

Safran first should disclose how much offset liabilities have they fulfilled?
They have a history of over promising.

 

[Virochana]

Its not a wise thing to go in for western engines. We should choose the Saturn from Russia. None of the US, French or other European Jet can Match the performance of a Sukhoi or Mig, in range, speed, rate of climb or ceiling. Yet all our media is actively promoting the western engines. It seems finally France has agreed to sell Rafale to Ukraine. Even if it is sold. It will not be used and all kinds of excuses will be given. Just like how they have hidden th .Abram tanks and the F16s. The western defence equipment cannot take on peer level opponents. They best in demos and exercises and against I'll equipped opponents like Hamas, hezbulla, etc. Jai Hind.

 

[Prasad Kulkarni]

I personally and strongly feel that India should now be open to get the aircraft and engine technology by hook or crook. Copy, steal or reverse engineer anything and everything you can get hold of.

There should be a separate Dept inside the DRDO specifically meant for these kind of R&Ds, but kept top secret and highly confidential.

Out of all the high tech aircarft or engine or weapon that India buys from anybody, 2 of them should be immediately sent to this secret Dept to be stripped to the bare bones and start making copies of them in no time. Hardware can be copied and manufactured at scale. But the software source code need not be that of an issue. We can utilise our own Indigenous IT talent pool to build software programs to all these hardware.

It is high time, we have to have that kind of a building capacity. We can't keep begging countries for ToT. We buy aircraft from them and make our own designs by copying, reverse engineering and modifying whatever we have accumulated with us till now.

If not this way, then how do you think China has managed to develop aircarft and weapon system in the past 20 years?

 

[Madan]

I personally and strongly feel that India should now be open to get the aircraft and engine technology by hook or crook. Copy, steal or reverse engineer anything and everything you can get hold of.

There should be a separate Dept inside the DRDO specifically meant for these kind of R&Ds, but kept top secret and highly confidential.

Out of all the high tech aircarft or engine or weapon that India buys from anybody, 2 of them should be immediately sent to this secret Dept to be stripped to the bare bones and start making copies of them in no time. Hardware can be copied and manufactured at scale. But the software source code need not be that of an issue. We can utilise our own Indigenous IT talent pool to build software programs to all these hardware.

It is high time, we have to have that kind of a building capacity. We can't keep begging countries for ToT. We buy aircraft from them and make our own designs by copying, reverse engineering and modifying whatever we have accumulated with us till now.

If not this way, then how do you think China has managed to develop aircarft and weapon system in the past 20 years?

It should have been started a long time ago. Chinese are masters at stealing Tech and reverse engineering. Their aviation sector is built on reverse engineering. Either Indians are foolish or too greedy for the percentage including political class. Otherwise we won't be begging for Tech.

 

[manivannan]

Co development ok. How many engines france will buy. What benefit from gtre to safran. All fake joint co development. It shows gtres poor performance. And expecting huge money from govt. Then blaming govt not provided fund. This is indian scientist logic to cheat people.

 

[manivannan]

Move with kaveri thats real. Others are reel.. SAfran itself not having tech for 120kn engine. Only russians are well in powerful engines.

 

[manivannan]

If 120kn safran engine fails our money gone thats all. Safran will escape from risk. If successful they will improve it and join with germany for 6th gen fighter. France never join with india for 6th fighter because they not trusting indians.

 

[P2S2]

If 120kn safran engine fails our money gone thats all. Safran will escape from risk. If successful they will improve it and join with germany for 6th gen fighter. France never join with india for 6th fighter because they not trusting indians.

We'll wait for Putin.

 

[emgee]

Move with kaveri thats real. Others are reel.. SAfran itself not having tech for 120kn engine. Only russians are well in powerful engines.

The 98kN M53-P2 engine powering the Mirage 2000 has for decades been the most powerful European afterburning turbofan engine.
The French know what needs to be done. They certainly have the tech to produce a 120kN engine.

 

[Capt Mahendra]

I personally and strongly feel that India should now be open to get the aircraft and engine technology by hook or crook. Copy, steal or reverse engineer anything and everything you can get hold of.

There should be a separate Dept inside the DRDO specifically meant for these kind of R&Ds, but kept top secret and highly confidential.

Out of all the high tech aircarft or engine or weapon that India buys from anybody, 2 of them should be immediately sent to this secret Dept to be stripped to the bare bones and start making copies of them in no time. Hardware can be copied and manufactured at scale. But the software source code need not be that of an issue. We can utilise our own Indigenous IT talent pool to build software programs to all these hardware.

It is high time, we have to have that kind of a building capacity. We can't keep begging countries for ToT. We buy aircraft from them and make our own designs by copying, reverse engineering and modifying whatever we have accumulated with us till now.

If not this way, then how do you think China has managed to develop aircarft and weapon system in the past 20 years?

We don't need to follow the Chinese path as they are still struggling with quality with thT copying technology.
Our IIT Madras has already developed a short run/ vertical takeoff engine technology and government can fund it to enhance its further fast track development into the required thrust capacity and collaborate with private companies to have the required engine ASAP instead of all these so called collaboration and still doubting & speculating if the complete TOT will be done without any hitch.
Government and IAF should now start taking steps and decide instead of still studying the foreign company offers for last soooo many years with doubts on their sincerity and integrity of keeping their promises. Please take decision and plung into funding the very talented pools of IITs and other institutions to get onto the Job instead of wasting more time in still studying proposals. Our indecisive Nature only keeps us from success.

 

[P2S2]

We don't need to follow the Chinese path as they are still struggling with quality with thT copying technology.
Our IIT Madras has already developed a short run/ vertical takeoff engine technology and government can fund it to enhance its further fast track development into the required thrust capacity and collaborate with private companies to have the required engine ASAP instead of all these so called collaboration and still doubting & speculating if the complete TOT will be done without any hitch.
Government and IAF should now start taking steps and decide instead of still studying the foreign company offers for last soooo many years with doubts on their sincerity and integrity of keeping their promises. Please take decision and plung into funding the very talented pools of IITs and other institutions to get onto the Job instead of wasting more time in still studying proposals. Our indecisive Nature only keeps us from success.

Yes. And the previous so called Indians have managed to certify and stamp known lies about untrustworthy natives requiring salvation as justification of the killings or enslavement of Indians to make them trustworthy specimens of humanity.
It looks like China has been stabbed in the back once again and faces Pakistani pilots in F35s. Let's get down heavy on our sell outs.
Previous cowboy bravado resulted us losing safe access to warm water springs during harsh winters.

 

[Prasad Kulkarni]

We don't need to follow the Chinese path as they are still struggling with quality with thT copying technology.
Our IIT Madras has already developed a short run/ vertical takeoff engine technology and government can fund it to enhance its further fast track development into the required thrust capacity and collaborate with private companies to have the required engine ASAP instead of all these so called collaboration and still doubting & speculating if the complete TOT will be done without any hitch.
Government and IAF should now start taking steps and decide instead of still studying the foreign company offers for last soooo many years with doubts on their sincerity and integrity of keeping their promises. Please take decision and plung into funding the very talented pools of IITs and other institutions to get onto the Job instead of wasting more time in still studying proposals. Our indecisive Nature only keeps us from success.

I agree Sir, but my point is "Why should we waste time, money and effort trying to reinvent the wheel?" Why should we start everything from the scratch? Worlds super powers are already lining up squadrons of 6th generation fighters, but we are still focusing on 4th gen, 5th gen and even 4.5th gen.
We can always buy the latest tech gadgets from market, strip them completely, study them, understand their OS in and out and start building our own by making their copies but with minor variations in everything. We already have Mirage 2000s, Rafales, MIG 29s, Su 30s as fighters. Technologies & OS of all their engines including the latest US414 engines can be amalgamated and made into one new Indian tech with a completely new and different source code OS which only we can have and nobody else in the world. Once this Source code OS gets developed we can replace the entire source code of the foreign aircraft with our own.
Just like we can install windows or Linux or ubuntu on different hardware computers. Aircraft hardware can be different, but our own OS can be customised to each of the different aircraft to make them unique for our forces.
Moreover, these Source code OS can be made completely fool proof so that no other nation can copy it or even remote control it.
We have a huge talent pool of software engineers in India and abroad. I'm sure atleast 1% of them will be willing to contribute.