Delay in engine deliveries has further delayed the delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft TEJAS MK-1 by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to the Indian Air Force (IAF). There is further delay of a few months in the delivery of F404 engines by General Electric and HAL is now preparing a back up to install used engines. Subsequently, delivery of the first TEJAS MK-1A to the IAF now aimed for November looks highly unlikely.
“Not a single engine has been received at the moment. They are now expected to be delivered from September onwards,” a defence official in the know said. “Since the engines have not arrived, HAL has come up with an alternate plan to install used engines on the initial batch of jets as an interim measure,” the official stated. The IAF is also involved in this process of using Category-2 or used engines as it is a temporary measure till the new engines arrive for which HAL is constantly engaged with GE, officials said.
In February 2021, the Defence Ministry had signed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL for 83 TEJAS MK-1A, a more capable fighter than the current TEJAS MK-1 in service. Following this, in August 2021 HAL signed a $716 mn deal with GE Aviation for 99 F404 aircraft engines and support services for the TEJAS MK-1A. As per contract, three TEJAS MK-1A were to be delivered to the IAF in February 2024 and 16 aircraft per year for subsequent five years.
In end-June a GE Aerospace spokesperson had said, “The aerospace industry continues to experience unprecedented supply chain pressures. GE Aerospace is working with our partner HAL and suppliers to resolve constraints and deliver F404-IN20 engines.”
Another defence official said expectation is that at least one TEJAS MK-1A jet is delivered by year end and half a squadron or eight to nine jets by the end of this fiscal year.
Read- IAF To Hold Largest International Air Exercise in India, 30 Countries Likely To Take Part
Officials stated that manufacturing of the jets is underway at HAL and while there were other supply chain issues, the primary hold up is the engine delay. Even if some number of engines are delivered in the next few months, small batch of jets can delivered within short time frame, officials asserted.
For IAF the delay is alarming, as the TEJAS is going to constitute a bulk of the IAF in the next few decades and key to arresting the fighter squadron strength from going below 30 squadrons in the near term and subsequently increase the strength.
In addition to the 83 MK-1A aircraft on order, the Defence ministry has given preliminary approval for procurement of another 97 TEJAS MK-1A. This would eventually make 180 TEJAS MK-1 jets and 220 jets of the MK-1 variant. The combined cost of the 180 MK-1As is an estimated of ₹1.15 lakh crore.
In addition, a larger and more capable TEJAS MK-2 is under development which will be powered by the GE F414 engines. A deal to license manufacture the F-414 engines in India is in advanced stages. As of now, the IAF has committed to procuring around 120 TEJAS MK-2.
Agencies
