SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), under the leadership of Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. D.K. Sunil, is moving forward with plans to maintain its production momentum for the Tejas Mk1A aircraft despite the ongoing delay in the delivery of the GE F-404 engines. According to a HAL official who spoke exclusively to idrw.org, HAL is taking proactive steps to ensure that the Tejas Mk1A aircraft remain on track for delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by the time the engines arrive in the country.
With the delay in the arrival of the GE F-404 engines, HAL is preparing to build and store Tejas Mk1A aircraft with Category B F-404 engines for the initial pre-delivery flight testing. The Category B F-404 engines, a temporary solution, will enable the aircraft to undergo initial flight testing before more GE F-404 engines are integrated into the aircraft.
To ensure the production line remains efficient and does not experience any unnecessary backlog, HAL has devised a strategy to keep the newly-built Tejas Mk1A aircraft in temporary storage at its facilities. This approach will keep the production line clear for new units while maintaining the aircraft in a ready-to-fly condition. Once the fresh set of F-404 engines from GE arrive in India, they will be integrated into the aircraft.
The plan includes conducting 2 to 3 pre-delivery flight tests with the IAF once the GE F-404 engines are installed in the aircraft. These tests will be crucial in ensuring that the aircraft meets the operational standards required by the Indian Air Force. After successfully completing the tests, the Tejas Mk1A aircraft will be officially handed over to the IAF for service.
The delay in the delivery of the F-404 engines, caused by global supply chain issues, has presented a challenge, but HAL’s proactive strategy is designed to minimize disruption and ensure that the Tejas Mk1A program continues to progress on schedule.
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