SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s state-owned defense contractor, faces a hurdle in its Tejas Mk-1A program due to delayed engine deliveries from General Electric (GE) Aerospace. GE, contracted in 2021 for a fresh batch of 99 F404-GE-IN20 engines valued at $716 million, hasn’t delivered any new units as of July 2024. This delay impacts the Tejas Mk-1A’s production schedule, with several aircraft awaiting engines.
Sources at idrw, report that HAL is considering an alternative solution. They plan to utilize a combination of reserved F404 engines and some used on older prototypes to power the initial Tejas Mk-1A batch. This approach aims to keep production moving while awaiting GE’s deliveries.
The cause of the delay is attributed to supply chain issues and potentially lower prioritization of the Indian engine variant, the highest thrust version in the F404 family. While GE has previously delivered 75 F404 engines to HAL, the current shortfall is impacting production.
There’s a glimmer of hope. idrw sources claim GE plans to deliver at least four engines by the end of August or early September, with another four arriving by early 2025. This could allow HAL to swap out the temporary engines on Mk-1A jets before delivery to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Looking ahead, both HAL and the IAF are pressuring GE to increase F404-GE-IN20 production. This urgency stems from the IAF’s interest in procuring an additional 97 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, requiring roughly 120 more engines.
The Tejas Mk-1A program’s success hinges on resolving the engine delivery bottleneck. HAL’s temporary solution might keep the production line moving in the short term, but long-term success depends on GE meeting its contractual obligations.
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