Request on new Tejas Mk2 engine issued
Ravi Sharma
BANGALORE: Almost a year after it was scheduled to go out, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) which will lead to the selection of a new, more powerful engine for the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk2.
The necessity for a new, off-the-shelf engine has occurred since the LCA’s present power plant, the GE F404 IN20, cannot power the Indian Air Force’s specified air staff requirements. The RFP has gone out to the United States’ General Electric (GE) for its F414 engine and the European military aero engine consortium Eurojet who are offering the EJ200 engine. Both engines are currently in service and capable of delivering an installed thrust in excess of 90 kiloNewtons.
Both manufacturers have been given time till October 12 to submit proposals which will be technically evaluated. The RFP indicates a run of 99 engines, with the option to procure a further 49. While the first few engines will be bought out in fly-away condition, the remaining will be assembled or manufactured at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Officials from the ADA told The Hindu that the primary reason for the delay in issuing the RFP was HAL’s “insistence to ride the bandwagon and secure via the engine deal as much manufacturing technology from the manufacturer as possible.” HAL has never designed or manufactured its own aero engines, but only assembled them under license production agreements. It would like to gain a foothold in manufacturing technologies such as single crystal blade and blade cooling.
Though no transfer of design technology will take place, Eurojet has indicated that an Indian entity can join them “as a partner” in designing modifications/ improvements to the EJ200.
The installation of the new engine will necessitate major modifications to the LCA, especially the fuselage. The ADA expects the Tejas Mk2 to fly in 2014.
The Hindu : National : Request on new Tejas Mk2 engine issued
