@Bleh from a DRDO tender from 3 years ago.
India already has Al31F engine which has been fully indigenised with 100% manufacturing from nuts and bolts to blades. There is no need to make another engine of same class. Moreover, India does not have any plane other than Su30 which can use engines of that high thrust. None makes engines without having a suitable use
Al31 and all its analogues are not owned by India, its IP remains with Russia & we can never truly be free to use it as we please.
It is only prudent to develop a 130kN class turbofan in India where 100% of its IP resides in India.
And no I don't believe all of the raw materials for the Al31FP comes from India; imports do happen, so you can't really say we manufacture 100% of the Al31 in India maybe majority of it but definitely not 100%.
No country is going to give you all of the critical tech that goes into a turbofan engine.
After all, turbofans are an extremely coveted technology, there are more countries that make nukes than those who can make a proper functioning turbofan.
HAL has also partially indigenised the Su-30MKI's giant AL-31FP engines, which are built in Koraput, Odisha. Fifty-three per cent of the engine by cost has been indigenised, with the remaining 47 per cent consisting of high-tech composites and special alloys - proprietary secrets that Russia will not part with. Even so, HAL builds 87.7 per cent of the engine's components in India.
https://wap.business-standard.com/a...-hal-s-growing-capability-114102300636_1.html
Stankoimport said in a release that the equipment to be supplied to India would be of "general industrial purpose" - meaning that it does not fall into banned items under Russia''s international non-proliferation obligations.
https://m.timesofindia.com/india/HAL-inks-300-million-Sukhoi-deal/articleshow/9008.cms
Nashik facility of the firm is domestically manufacturing over 31,500 components that are integrated into the fighter jet, in addition partially indigenizing its AL-31FP engines, which are built in Koraput, Odisha, India.
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/15..._2015_16_From_Raw_Material_Phase#.XKWX-qBN2z4
Also, Al31 might have a high thrust but that does not mean it's a perfect or an uber modern engine that conforms to all of IAF & IN's requirements.
India is a land of extremes & you don't just need a high thrust engine, you need one that is fuel efficient and can provide optimal thrust in all environments and altitudes.
This is exactly why GTRE went for a variable cycle function for the Kaveri from the get go.
Have some faith in GTRE, the new engine will indeed be way different & definitely be more advanced than the Al31FP.
Testing will always have margin. We can't have testing system for 110kN engine as the engine while being developed may turn to be 115kN in ultra-mode. Also, every engine is capable of being overboosted beyong the rated power. Moreover, India has Su30 engine manufacturing too and hence it is best if the test bed can fit all engines which India has or will have. Maximum limit of test bed is not same as actual power of engine
On the contrary.
These are the very specific engine requirements posted in the same RFI which the test cell should be able to accommodate.
Notice the dry & wet thrust requirements.
Now, we don't technically know if these are the exact specs of the engine but I doubt the deviation will be too high either.
After all, a 110kN class engine and a 130kN class engine are two very different class of aero engines.