SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Rolls-Royce, the renowned British aerospace and defense company, has offered to co-develop a 120kN thrust engine for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, a fifth-generation stealth fighter. In a significant development reported by idrw.org, sources have revealed that Rolls-Royce has also proposed redesigning the turbojet core of this engine to incorporate a large front fan, enabling the development of high-thrust turbofan engines suitable for future civilian and transport aircraft programs led by the IAF or the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).
The proposed 120kN engine, tailored for the AMCA, is designed to meet the stringent performance requirements of a stealth fighter, including high thrust-to-weight ratio and supercruise capabilities. However, Rolls-Royce’s offer to adapt the engine’s core for turbofan applications opens new possibilities for India’s aerospace ambitions, particularly in the civilian and military transport sectors.
According to idrw.org’s sources, by integrating a larger diameter fan, new fan blades, and additional turbine stages to extract more energy from the core exhaust, the redesigned turbofan engine could generate thrust ranging from 140kN to 280kN, or potentially higher. This would require a redesigned mounting system to accommodate the larger fan and increased airflow. Such an engine could power a wide range of aircraft, from regional airliners and freighters to military transport planes, aligning with India’s push for indigenous aerospace solutions.
The collaboration with Rolls-Royce, if finalized, would involve significant technology transfer and co-development, strengthening India’s capabilities in advanced engine design and manufacturing. The dual-use potential of the engine—military for AMCA and civilian for future NAL or IAF programs—makes the proposal strategically compelling, as it could reduce development costs and foster economies of scale.
This offer comes at a critical juncture as India seeks to bolster its domestic aerospace industry under the “Make in India” initiative. The AMCA program, led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), aims to deliver a world-class stealth fighter, while NAL is exploring indigenous civilian aircraft projects to meet growing regional connectivity demands.
Rolls-Royce’s proposal has sparked interest within India’s defense and aerospace communities, with discussions expected to focus on timelines, cost-sharing, and intellectual property rights. The prospect of a scalable turbofan engine derived from the AMCA’s powerplant could position India as a competitive player in both military and civilian aviation markets.
NOTE: Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.