US defence major GE Aerospace starts delivery of F-404 engines for Tejas MK-1A jets
In February 2021, the Defence Ministry sealed a Rs 48,000-crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for IAF. The deliveries were to begin in March last year but not a single aircraft has been delivered yet
New Delhi: American defence major GE Aerospace on Wednesday said it delivered the first of 99 F-404 aircraft engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas light combat jet programme.
State-run HAL is procuring the engines to power the Mk-1A variant of the Tejas jets. In February 2021, the Defence Ministry sealed a Rs 48,000-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. The deliveries were to begin in March last year.
However, not a single aircraft has been delivered yet. The start of supply of the F404-IN20 engines by the American aircraft defence major is expected to help HAL start delivery of the jets to the IAF.
Defence sources indicated that delay in the delivery of the engines by GE Aerospace was one of the reasons for HAL to miss the deadline for supply of Tejas jets to the IAF. It is learnt that the engine has been delivered to HAL by the American company at its manufacturing facility in Lynn near Massachusetts.
The engine is expected to reach India by early next month.
GE Aerospace’s F404 family is known to be one of the most effective aircraft engines and it powers thousands of combat jets worldwide.
“On Tuesday, we were excited to deliver the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to our valued customer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A fighter jet,” GE Aerospace said in a statement.
“It is an important milestone in our 40-year relationship with HAL and in our efforts to ensure a strong future for India’s military by developing next-generation fighters while enhancing the country’s defence manufacturing capabilities,” it said.
The F404-IN20 engine is a tailored design for India’s single-engine fighter programme with the highest thrust within the F404 family and a higher-flow fan, unique single-crystal turbine blades, and numerous special components, the company said.
GE Aerospace and Tejas teams collaborated closely for several years to customise the engine for the needs of the Indian Air Force.
“The F404 demonstrated it was an excellent fit for the Tejas LCA. On its first test flight in 2008, the aircraft climbed to numerous mission altitudes and achieved Mach 1.1 speed,” the engine maker said.
GE Aerospace said by 2016, it fulfilled its commitment to HAL and delivered 65 F404-IN20 engines for the Tejas LCA. “With no additional engine orders on the horizon, the production line for F404-IN20 was shut down.”
“However, when HAL ordered an additional 99 engines in 2021 for the Tejas Mk1A LCA, our team began the complex task of restarting the F404-IN20 production line, which had been dormant for five years, and re-engaging the engine’s global supply chain,” it said.
Indigenously developed Tejas jets are expected to be the mainstay of the IAF in coming years. In November last year, the Defence Ministry accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF.
The Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.
GE Aerospace said restarting a jet engine production line is a challenging process. “Restarting the F404-IN20 engine line during the Covid pandemic was even more challenging. With a high focus on safety and quality, and a remarkable commitment from our supply chain teams and our suppliers and partners, we have managed to restart the line,” the company said.
“Our proprietary lean operating model, flight deck, helped us alleviate bottlenecks and identify solutions to improve manufacturing processes and turnaround time,” it said.
The company said it is working closely with its suppliers to ramp up production on parts and materials for the F404-IN20. “We will continue to work together with our suppliers to keep the production line efficient, maintain the highest standards of safety and quality, and deliver to our customer,” it said.
“This week’s first engine delivery is a testament to what we have accomplished with HAL over the past 40 years, and a symbol of our combined potential to ensure a strong future for India’s military,” it added.
