New Delhi: The U.S. defense large GE Aerospace said Wednesday it shipped the first of 99 F-404 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) for the Tejas Light Combat Jet Programme.State-Run HAL is purchasing engines to power the Tejas Jets’ MK-1A variable.
In February 2021, the Ministry of Defense reached a Rs 48,000 crore agreement with HAL to produce 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. Delivery will begin in March last year. However, no aircraft has been shipped yet.
The supply of US aircraft defense professional F404-IN20 engines is expected to help HAL start delivering jets to the IAF.
Defense sources show that engine delivery delays for GE Aerospace are one of the reasons HAL missed the deadline for supplying Tejas jets to the IAF.
It is understood that the engine has been shipped to HAL by a US company’s manufacturing plant in Lynn, Massachusetts. The engine is expected to arrive in India early next month.
The GE Aerospace’s F404 family is one of the most effective aircraft engines, powering thousands of fighter jets around the world.
“On Tuesday, we are excited to ship the first of the 99 F404-IN20 engines to our valuable customer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft MK 1A fighter jet,” GE Aerospace said in a statement.
It said: “This is an important milestone in our 40-year relationship with HAL, and we have worked to enhance the country’s defense manufacturing capabilities by developing the next generation of fighters to ensure a good future for the Indian military.”
The company said the F404-In20 engine is a tailor-made design for the Indian single-engine fighter program, with the highest thrust, higher flow fan, unique single-crystal turbine blades and many special components in the F404 family.
GE Aerospace and the Tejas team worked closely together for several years to customize the engine to the needs of the Indian Air Force.
“The F404 proved it was perfect for Tejas LCA. During its first test flight in 2008, the aircraft climbed to many mission altitudes and achieved a speed of Mach 1.1,” the engine manufacturer said.
GE Aerospace said in 2016 that it fulfilled its commitment to HAL and provided 65 F404-IN20 engines to Tejas LCA. “If there is no additional engine order, the F404-IN20 production line was closed.”
“But when HAL ordered another 99 engines for the Tejas MK1A LCA in 2021, our team started the complex task of restarting the F404-In20 production line, which has been dormant for five years and restarting the engine’s global supply chain,” it said.
The locally developed Tejas jet is expected to be the IAF midstream tay column in the coming years. Last November, the Ministry of Defense received initial approval to purchase an additional 97 Tejas jets for the IAF.
Tejas aircraft are an effective platform for air combat and offensive air support missions, while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are secondary roles. GE Aerospace said restarting the jet engine production line is a challenging process.
“Restarting the F404-IN20 engine line during the Covid pandemic is even more challenging,” the company said. “We managed to restart the line thanks to a high focus on safety and quality, as well as the outstanding commitment of our supply chain team and suppliers and partners.”
“Our proprietary lean operational model, Flight Deck, helped us alleviate bottlenecks and identify solutions to improve manufacturing processes and turnover time,” it said.
The company said it is working closely with suppliers to increase the production of parts and materials for the F404-In20. “We will continue to work with suppliers to keep the production line efficient, maintain the highest standards of safety and quality and deliver to our customers,” it said.
It added: “The first engine delivery this week is a testament to what we have achieved with HAL over the past 40 years, a symbol of our comprehensive potential for ensuring that the Indian army realizes a strong future.”
