Tejas Mk-2 Fighter jet prototype with F-414 engine to be rolled out by end of 2024
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New Delhi, June 22: In a significant development, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have geared up to produce Tejas Mark II fighter by 2027-28 and ADA is ready to roll out the GE-414 powered prototype by 2024 end, reported Hindustan Times on 21 June.
As per details, the GE-414 engine will be manufactured in India under 100 percent transfer of technology (TOT) after approval from US Congress. Apart from Tejas Mark II, it will also power twin-engine advanced multi-role combat aircraft (AMCA-I) and twin-engine deck-based fighters (TEDBF), added the report.
Meanwhile, India plans to produce at least six squadrons of Mark II fighters for the Indian Air Force after 83 F-404-powered Tejas Mark I A has been produced and handed over to the military.
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Currently, eight F-414 jet engines have already been procured by the ADA, design frozen, and critical design review has already been approved by the IAF. Now the ADA said that it will roll out the Mark II prototype by 2024 end for testing and operational clearance.
With PM Narendra Modi and his national security team have been able to deliver on the F-414 engine through the “Make in India" route, the HAL has girded up for the upcoming challenge. It will focus only on manufacturing the GE engine as no less than 500 aircraft engines have to be produced in India.
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The report says that the HAL Bengaluru division and even the Nashik division may be tasked to take up the job and start production in collaboration with GE. HAL has already experience in manufacturing aircraft engines as it was assembling AL31 FP following burning turbofan engines for the Russian SU-30 MKI assembly in India.
Experts say HAL will fully focus on the production of the Mark II fighter as well as the GE-414 engine after the production line of Mark I A tapers off.
On June 22, the American defense major General Electric and HAL will sign an MoU for the manufacture of the F-414 engine. Also, both the firms will exchange instruments before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Washington.