GE Is Set To Deliver The First Of 99 F-404 Engines For The Tejas Mk 1a By The End Of March.

GE Aerospace is set to deliver the first of 99 F-404 engines for the Tejas MK 1A fighter jets by the end of March, following a two-year contractual delay. The delivery comes as part of a $716 million contract signed in 2021 between GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). According to sources familiar with the matter, the first engine is already undergoing testing and is expected to be handed over soon.

Under the agreement, 12 engines are scheduled for delivery in 2025, with GE supplying 20 engines per year thereafter to meet its contractual commitments. The delays in engine deliveries have caused concern within the Indian Air Force (IAF), as they have impacted the production timeline of the Tejas MK 1A fleet.

HAL and GE Collaborate on GE-414 Engine for AMCA

In parallel, HAL is collaborating with GE to manufacture the more advanced GE-414 engine in India under a technology transfer agreement facilitated by the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) between the National Security Advisors of India and the United States. The GE-414 engine is intended to power the upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

India's Push for Private Sector Participation in Fighter Jet Manufacturing

With HAL facing delays in delivering 83 LCA MK 1A aircraft, a matter that has drawn criticism from IAF leadership, the Indian Ministry of Defence has established a committee under Defence Secretary R.K. Singh. This committee will focus on formulating a business model for India's proposed fifth-generation fighter program. Rather than addressing technical aspects, the panel will explore ways to integrate private sector participation to reduce dependency on HAL and expand the country's fighter jet manufacturing capabilities.

India Weighs Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet Options

As India evaluates its future fighter jet procurement strategy, the U.S. has offered the F-35, a proven fifth-generation aircraft. At the same time, India is also exploring a French proposal that includes the local manufacturing of Rafale fighter jets along with the M-88 engine under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, reinforcing the country's push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing.