Safran's 110kN Engine Can Also Power Tejas Mk2 if India Chooses it for AMCA Program, Says French Aerospace Giant

French aerospace giant Safran is making a strong bid to collaborate with India on the development of a powerful 110kN engine for the nation's ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.

In a move that could significantly impact India's fighter jet landscape, Safran has revealed that this new engine could also be integrated into the Tejas Mk2 if India decides to move away from the currently planned General Electric F-414 engine.

This revelation comes as India is actively pursuing local production of the F-414 to power its Tejas Mk2 fleet. However, the potential availability of a more powerful, domestically produced engine in the same timeframe presents a compelling alternative for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Safran projects that its 110kN engine will be ready for production around 2033-34, coinciding with the expected production timeline of the Tejas Mk2, slated to begin around 2029-30. This alignment offers India a unique opportunity to reassess its engine strategy for the Tejas Mk2, especially as the IAF anticipates receiving 120 of these jets by the late 2030s.

The IAF's future operational requirements, including the need for enhanced thrust and evolving air superiority challenges, could sway the decision in favor of Safran's offering. The 110kN engine could provide a significant performance boost to the Tejas Mk2, potentially influencing future orders and upgrades.

While India remains committed to its indigenous defence production goals, with ongoing discussions centered on localizing the F-414 engine production, Safran's proposal introduces a new dynamic.

The decision to adopt the 110kN engine for the Tejas Mk2 would involve careful consideration of technical compatibility, strategic operational needs, and geopolitical factors.

Safran's proposition highlights the evolving landscape of India's fighter jet programs. As the race to develop the 110kN engine for the AMCA intensifies, the potential implications for the Tejas Mk2 are becoming increasingly evident. The adaptability of Safran's engine to the Tejas platform could provide the IAF with valuable options to bolster its aerial capabilities in the years to come.

 

[subrat beura]

We should start production of GE-414 & Safran 110KN engines side by side to achieve timely delivery of initial batch of MK2 and more power in next batch. AMCA requirement will also be achieved

 

[sanket]

100 Times I have written AMCA 110 Kn Engine will b integrated on AMCA TEDBF, Tejas MK2 & Rafale too, Bharat will have roughly closed 200 Rafale version Including Rafale M & Follow-on order not Ruled out in Future , since production Line is likely to start Locally , A common Engine of 110 kN for French FCAS & AMCA with Joint IPR & Budget too will shared most likely unlike GE & RR likely Just consultant offer with 100% Invest by Bharat, One of major advantage of this 110 kN Engine will b dependency on US engine will end , Bharat alreay has plans to develop kaveri derivative with 90 kN Thrust that will b integrated in Tejas MK1A that will make US free Engine Fighters jets , Thats the plans Once become Atmanirbhar GE will b kick out

 

[PKPRS]

First make a powerful engine to make Rafale fly faster.

 

[kurtwallis wallis]

First make a powerful engine to make Rafale fly faster.

only 75KN max. wet thrusts from M88-2 Safran engines now.....

 

[Akshat]

First make a powerful engine to make Rafale fly faster.

Yet they can’t seem to stop getting orders. 😂😂 Much faster than the F18 and stuff at least. Plus super cruise.

 

[Gajanan Hirde]

Quickly grab the opportunity. Don't wait for the American government.

 

[PKPRS]

Yet they can’t seem to stop getting orders. 😂😂 Much faster than the F18 and stuff at least. Plus super cruise.

what is the use of supercruise if all the people can run faster than Snecma M-88.

 

[Invi Pass]

what is the use of supercruise if all the people can run faster than Snecma M-88.

You have hit bulls eye. Rafale is not only Expensive but also slow as compared to its peers. While the US and China are working on 6th gen hypersonic jets we are aiming for below Mach 2 jets. What a joke.

 

[Dredd]

100 Times I have written AMCA 110 Kn Engine will b integrated on AMCA TEDBF, Tejas MK2 & Rafale too, Bharat will have roughly closed 200 Rafale version Including Rafale M & Follow-on order not Ruled out in Future , since production Line is likely to start Locally , A common Engine of 110 kN for French FCAS & AMCA with Joint IPR & Budget too will shared most likely unlike GE & RR likely Just consultant offer with 100% Invest by Bharat, One of major advantage of this 110 kN Engine will b dependency on US engine will end , Bharat alreay has plans to develop kaveri derivative with 90 kN Thrust that will b integrated in Tejas MK1A that will make US free Engine Fighters jets , Thats the plans Once become Atmanirbhar GE will b kick out

even if you say 100 times more, 200 rafale are never going to happen and 110KN engine on rafale is even more unlikely.
safran succeeding engine development partner contract is not likely due to costs they are demanding.

 

[PKPRS]

You have hit bulls eye. Rafale is not only Expensive but also slow as compared to its peers. While the US and China are working on 6th gen hypersonic jets we are aiming for below Mach 2 jets. What a joke.

MIG-41 is also a 6th Gen jet that supercruises at Mach 4plus.

 

[Dredd]

First make a powerful engine to make Rafale fly faster.

rafale is not going to race against enemy fighter, engine are sufficient for its role and payload

 

[vinod nair]

I sincerely doubt, in modern Contested airspace manned AC have much chance of survibiliabilty, because lose of highly trained pilot in war in numbers will not acceptable for any force and for humen in thick of war due to humen psychology probability of errors is much more unlike machines, they should be inside safe zone, go for heavy UCAV WITH AL31 online of B2 SPIRIT minus pilots along with planned ghatak simultanously

 

[Sathish Kumaram]

Get rid of the backstaper US..So we will free from backstapping and arm twisting..See the pannum making threatning on Indian citizen from US soil..and still holding david coleman ..i think US is part of terrorist group..

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

even if you say 100 times more, 200 rafale are never going to happen and 110KN engine on rafale is even more unlikely.
safran succeeding engine development partner contract is not likely due to costs they are demanding.

If we spend the foreign exchange on private companies, a lot can be done with less cash.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

Yet they can’t seem to stop getting orders. 😂😂 Much faster than the F18 and stuff at least. Plus super cruise.

With so many standoff weapons u can just fly higher and drop the glide bombs to hit 200 km away. No need to enhance dogfight skills. Dogfight age is gone as drones have arrived.

 

[Leo red]

Rafale is useless batter get something domestic ready. Engine is slow. Even su 30 is fast. Now we have brahmos naag astra anti radiation missile get some model which can work with it. Batter version of Tejas mk2. Get some Russian engineer on floor.

 

[tipoo2]

The Snecma M88 is a near miracle of miniaturization at only 897kg. I can't wait to see what the next gen joint venture with the French design is like following that.

 

[INDIAN]

Indian government and defense forces are taking too much time on discussions and negotiations ,whatever needs to done should be done and Prime minister office should directly monitor the progress of aero engine development and should provide direct support and fund whenever necessary.
This should be a national project .

 

[johnsonprabu]

The only best solution to me in terms of, future proofing, efficiency, geo politically, strategically, independent future development and cost the only engine i think of is the Saturn AL-5-1 smaller derivative version for Tejas MK2 and the same or a full fledged version for the AMCA. However this all resides with this government's commitment with Russia, we need to be more transparent in what we need and not rely only on US or other countries for engines when we have great and reliable partner Russia, even if this government is willing to face the repercussions os US or any other non pro russian govts sanctions.

 

[Shrujanam Syama]

100 Times I have written AMCA 110 Kn Engine will b integrated on AMCA TEDBF, Tejas MK2 & Rafale too, Bharat will have roughly closed 200 Rafale version Including Rafale M & Follow-on order not Ruled out in Future , since production Line is likely to start Locally , A common Engine of 110 kN for French FCAS & AMCA with Joint IPR & Budget too will shared most likely unlike GE & RR likely Just consultant offer with 100% Invest by Bharat, One of major advantage of this 110 kN Engine will b dependency on US engine will end , Bharat alreay has plans to develop kaveri derivative with 90 kN Thrust that will b integrated in Tejas MK1A that will make US free Engine Fighters jets , Thats the plans Once become Atmanirbhar GE will b kick out

Hat has 110kN engine dot to do with Rafales? France doesn't have any 110kN engines and are not in the process of developing one either. So, French or Rafales have no relevance in 110Kn engines. Yes, it is meant to be intagrated with TEDBF, AMCA & Tejas MK2 as that is already announced. It is not a surprise or a new info

 

[Shrujanam Syama]

Yet they can’t seem to stop getting orders. 😂😂 Much faster than the F18 and stuff at least. Plus super cruise.

Yes, it runs faster but with less payload. That is not good.

 

[Shrujanam Syama]

rafale is not going to race against enemy fighter, engine are sufficient for its role and payload

How is it sufficient? Its payload is low because of its weak engine. Mig29 (not Mig29K which is aircraft carrier version) has higher payload than Rafale. France does false advertising of Rafale having MToW of 24tons. AT 24tons, it can barely lift off after a long runway which is impractical. The usable max weight is 21-22 tons only. Mig29 has usable max weight of 25tons. This is a huge difference.

 

[Shrujanam Syama]

I sincerely doubt, in modern Contested airspace manned AC have much chance of survibiliabilty, because lose of highly trained pilot in war in numbers will not acceptable for any force and for humen in thick of war due to humen psychology probability of errors is much more unlike machines, they should be inside safe zone, go for heavy UCAV WITH AL31 online of B2 SPIRIT minus pilots along with planned ghatak simultanously

UAVs can be jammed and that is the biggest problem. Signal jamming is one of the easiest thing to do. You can try it yourself by getting 15-20 wifi routers in 2.4GhZ and run them all together in a room. You will find that you won't be able to download anything even if you are the only single connection

 

[Muthukumar Ponnambalam]

Timeline is way toooo long.

Guess it's for everyone's good that either HAL, DRDO etc should either be sold to private players (not sure who will buy though) or dismantle them.

We don't have the capability to make any high end products ourselves, but only nuts and bolts.

So why bother spending so much on these companies and any "indigenous" stuff. We already decided to only "make" in India and not "conceptualize / innovate / design".

So let's buy from France, Russia, USA, S.Korea, Brazil (and perhaps from even Somalia, Bangladesh etc in the future)

 

[NSR]

It is very simple.

All India has to do is to create enough space to accommodate the present generation 110 kN fighter engine dimensions so India can rework inside to seamlessly install whatever it manages to develop from its own Kaveri derivatives or from collaboration with foreigh OEMs.

No need to worry too much about what fighter engine India may end up with.