SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a key arm of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has revealed ambitious plans for the 110kN thrust power plant slated to power the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
In a significant development, GTRE has confirmed that this engine will be designed with core upgradeability, enabling it to evolve into higher-thrust variants ranging from 125kN to 145kN. These advanced iterations are envisioned to propel a heavy-class fighter aircraft, potentially a sixth-generation platform, aimed at replacing the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI fleet from 2045-50 onwards.
The 110kN engine, currently in the planning stages, is tailored to meet the AMCA’s stringent requirements, including supercruise capability (sustained supersonic flight without afterburners) and stealth-compatible performance. The AMCA, India’s first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, is being developed by DRDO and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), with its initial prototypes set to rely on the General Electric F414 engine (98kN thrust). However, the transition to a domestic 110kN power plant is a critical milestone in the program’s roadmap, with GTRE aiming for operational readiness by the early 2030s.
What sets this engine apart is its modular design, which GTRE has confirmed will allow for core upgrades. “The 110kN power plant will have core upgradeability so that engines in the range of 120kN to 145kN thrust can be developed,” a GTRE official stated. This scalability is intended to future-proof the engine, enabling it to power not just the AMCA but also a heavier, more advanced fighter class in the decades ahead.
The IAF’s Su-30MKI fleet, numbering over 260 aircraft, forms the backbone of its combat capability but is expected to reach the end of its service life between 2045 and 2050. While the “Super Sukhoi” upgrade will extend the platform’s relevance into the 2030s with enhancements like the Virupaksha AESA radar and Astra MkIII missile, a long-term replacement is inevitable. GTRE’s vision is to leverage the AMCA engine’s core technology to develop a 120kN-145kN thrust engine for a sixth-generation heavy fighter, aligning with global trends toward advanced stealth, artificial intelligence, and directed-energy weapons.
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