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India Today
15-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
US firm delivers Tejas MK 1A engine after delays, India to ramp up production
US-based defence maker GE Aerospace is taking significant steps to streamline the delivery of F404-IN20 engines for India's Tejas MK 1A fighter aircraft, following a series of delays that hindered the project. The second engine was recently delivered to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is responsible for assembling the initial delivery of the engine took place on March 25 this year, marking a notable milestone. Shawn Warren, General Manager of Combat & Trainer Engines at GE Aerospace, expressed excitement about the delivery, stating it represents an important phase in their relationship with HAL and India's defence a contract valued at USD 716 million signed in 2021, HAL had been awaiting these engines to boost their production of the Tejas MK 1A. The contract had experienced a two-year delay, affecting HAL's timelines for expanding India's fleet. GE Aerospace's recent delivery is seen as a crucial step in reviving the project's has been restructuring its production line in Bengaluru to accelerate the integration of these engines.A new assembly line has been added to enhance the pace of production, aiming to deliver 16 Tejas MK 1A units annually to fulfil the contract by 2028. This restructuring is expected to alleviate the delays in engine delivery."Despite the delay in engine delivery, we have optimised our assembly process to ensure swift deliveries. The arrival of the F-404 engines will allow us to ramp up production significantly," An official from HAL Aerospace had to restart the production line for the F404-IN20 engines, which had been dormant for five years."With no additional engine orders on the horizon, the production line for F404-IN20 was shut down. However, when HAL ordered an additional 99 engines in 2021, our team began the complex task of restarting," GE delivery of these engines is anticipated to enhance the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities, particularly since it currently relies on older Tejas MK 1A, with its upgraded features, is expected to significantly bolster India's air defence when Aerospace is now working closely with suppliers to maintain efficient production, ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality in delivering the engines to HAL.- Ends
India Today
30-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Tejas Mk-1A jet delivery deadline missed again: Here's how timeline unfolded
Amid growing concerns over delays in India's indigenous fighter jet programme, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Thursday urged the defence industry not to make promises it cannot deliver on time. Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry's Annual Business Summit 2025, the Air Force chief underscored that "timeline is a big issue" — a sharp reminder of the Indian Air Force's mounting frustration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) over the delayed delivery of Tejas Mk-1A fighter three months ago, the IAF chief had publicly voiced concern about the slippage in deadlines. On paper, HAL was to deliver the first of 83 LCA Mk-1A jets by March 31, 2024, under a Rs 48,000 crore deal signed in February 2021. That did not happen.A STALLED TIMELINEThe Tejas Mk-1A — a more advanced variant of the LCA Mk-1 — has faced persistent delays, largely due to late engine deliveries from GE Aerospace and protracted certification processes. The first F404-IN20 engine for the Mk-1A aircraft was delivered only in March 2025, nearly two years behind schedule. The delivery, part of a USD 716 million contract for 99 engines, was hailed as a 'milestone' by GE Aerospace's Combat & Trainer Engines General Manager Shawn Warren, who said it would "ensure a strong future for India's military". But for HAL, it was only the beginning of a race to recover lost PUSH AFTER ENGINE BOTTLENECKSadvertisementFollowing the arrival of the long-awaited engines, HAL has ramped up its production capacity by restructuring its Bengaluru facility and adding a parallel assembly line. The goal now is to deliver at least 16 Tejas Mk-1A jets annually, aiming to complete the 83-aircraft order by Chairman Dr DK Sunil had earlier assured that with engine supplies stabilising, the production of Mk-1A jets would gather pace. "We have now promised that we will have all the Mk-1A structures ready. Once the engines are available, the Mk-1As will start rolling out," he said at Aero India ORDERS IN PIPELINEDespite the initial hiccups, the IAF is gearing up to place a follow-on order for 97 more Mk-1A aircraft, estimated at Rs 67,000 crore, which would bring the total fleet size to 180. In parallel, a mega Rs 1.3 lakh crore deal for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) for both the IAF and Indian Army is expected to be finalised within the next six has committed to delivering all 180 Tejas Mk-1A fighters by 2031, with a consolidated production capacity of 16 to 24 aircraft annually beginning delays come at a time when the IAF is retiring ageing aircraft like the MiG-21, MiG-27, and Jaguars, leaving its squadron strength critically depleted. Without the timely induction of Tejas Mk-1A, the gap between required and available fighters continues to widen — raising serious questions about India's aerial combat PANEL FORMEDadvertisementTo address these systemic delays, the Ministry of Defence had constituted a five-member Defence Empowerment Committee led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The committee recommended a slew of short, medium, and long-term solutions — including involving private players in the LCA production companies are now contributing critical components such as fuselages. Alpha Tocol Engineering Services Pvt Ltd recently handed over the first rear fuselage of the Mk-1A to HAL, with more scheduled to follow. Deliveries of the aircraft will now be streamlined across three separate HAL production lines.
