On the eve of the historic India-US F-414 jet engine deal, both Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) have geared up to produce Tejas Mark II fighter by 2027 and 2028, with the former ready to roll out the GE-414 powered prototype by the end of 2024.
This remarkable GE-414 engine will be indigenously made and cent per cent with ToT (Transfer of Technology) after approval from the US Congress, will power not only Tejas LCA, Mark-II, but the twin-engine advanced multi-role- combat Aircraft (AMCA-1) and twin-engine deck-based fighter (TBEDF).
Given that India has plans to produce at least six squadrons of Mark-II fighters for the Indian Air Force after the 83 F-404-powered Tejas Mark-I have been produced and handed over to the military. With eight F-414 jet engines procured already by the ADA, design frozen and critical design review already approved by the IAF, the agency will roll out the Mark-II prototype by the end of 2024 for testing and operational clearance.
As PM Narendra Modi and his national security team have been able to deliver on the F-414 engine through the “Make In India” route, the HAL has taken the upcoming challenge as the PSU will focus only on the GE engine as no less than 500 aircraft engines have to be produced in India. It is understood that the Bengaluru Division of the HAL.
Even the Nashik Division may be tasked to take up the job and collaborate with GE. HAL already has experience in manufacturing aircraft engines AL31 FP after burning turbofan engines for the Russian SU-30MKI assembly in India.
According to experts, HAL will focus on the production of the Mark-II fighter as well as the GE-414 engine after the production line of Mark-I tapers off. The American defence major General Electric and HAL will sign an MoU for the manufacture of the F-414 engine on July 22, 2023, and exchange instruments before PM Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington.
While the ADA under the DRDO is confident that it will deliver Mark II on time, pressure will now be on HAL to energise the workers of the Public Sector Undertaking to meet the challenge ahead. Even though the engine will have to be produced by GE-HAL, the government may think of a special-purpose vehicle to produce Mark-II fighters to meet the deadline of the IAF.
The deal for the local manufacturing of the GE-414 engine is part of a broader effort by India and the US to deepen their defence cooperation. Once approved, the deal is expected to create more jobs and boost economic growth in India as the local manufacturing of the engine will require the development of a new supply chain in India.
After the fulfilment of India’s requirements, the engines can be exported too. The Tejas Mark-II is designed to replace the ageing Mirage 2000, MiG-29 and the Anglo-French origin Jaguar aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
The GE-414 is a high-performance, two-spool, axial flow turbofan engine that is used to provide a variety of military aircraft, including the F-18 Hornet, JAS 39 Gripen, and Tejas Mark-II. It is a derivative of the GE-F-404 engine that was developed in the 1970s
The Engine F-414 produces up to 18,000 pounds of thrust, giving it the power to operate in various missions. It has a proven track record of 10 million hours of flight time accumulated. This engine is designed for easy maintenance, reducing ownership costs.
It meets all the current environmental regulations and has been designed to become even more environmentally friendly in the future.
