Amid escalating tensions with China, Pakistan, IAF demands faster production of Tejas fighter jets
General Electric, a US company, is expected to start the delayed delivery of GE-F404 turbofan jet engines, which power the Tejas Mark-1A fighters, from November. This follows discussions between India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh and US officials.
The IAF aims to induct around 300 Tejas fighters over the next 15 years. For this plan to work, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) needs to boost its production rate. Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari emphasized the need to diversify production capacities and explore partnerships with private sectors. “The way forward is to diversify production lines, have more public private partnerships or joint ventures with private partners to have multiple weaponry lines as well as multiple production lines,” he said.
From November, HAL is expected to receive two GE-F404 engines per month, according to the latest commitment from General Electric. There have been delays in the delivery schedule of 99 GE-F404 engines, initially set to begin in March. This has affected the production timeline of the first 83 Tejas Mark-1A jets, contracted for Rs 46,898 crore in February 2021. The jets were to be delivered between February 2024 and February 2028. An official noted that the first jet, initially expected by February-March this year, will likely be ready by November. HAL may only deliver eight of the planned 16 jets for the fiscal year 2024-25, potentially impacting future deliveries.
The defense ministry is finalizing another contract worth Rs 67,000 crore for 97 additional Tejas Mark-1A fighters. Additionally, India and the US are in the final stages of negotiations for co-producing GE-F414 jet engines for the Tejas Mark-2 fighters, with an 80% technology transfer, valued at around $1 billion.
In August 2022, the cabinet committee on security approved the development of the Tejas Mark-2 fighters with GE-F414 engines, with plans to induct six squadrons (108 jets) of this more advanced variant. So far, the IAF has received 35-36 of the first 40 Tejas Mark-1 fighters from contracts signed in March 2006 and December 2010.
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