OPINION : Is India being offered long-forgotten and dated engines for AMCA Program?

SOURCE:  DEEPAK HILORI/ FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG

India which is looking to co-develop a new engine for its 5th Generation AMCA fighter jet program has been offered 3 engines that will meet India’s requirements and the offer has come from three major aerospace engine manufacturers in the world. While India has been offered a complete Transfer of technology for this engine with some portion of Intellectual property rights on certain sections of the engine but none of them are clean slate design and these engines are still based on the engines that were designed nearly 30 years ago.

American General Electric, which is the world’s biggest Aero-engine manufacturer has offered India F-414-400 enhanced engines that due to modifications to its core will be able to generate a thrust range of 110-130kN that India is seeking. F-414 is based on the proven design base of its F404 predecessor which entered production in 1998. F414 delivers 35% more thrust than the original F404 that was first tested in 1976.