BENGALURU: Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Thursday said it has received the third GE-404 engine for the LCA-MK1A (Tejas Mk1A). “One more engine is scheduled to be delivered by the end of Sept 2025. Engine supply chain improvement will pave the way for LCA-Mk1A aircraft deliveries,” the PSU said in a statement. In July, HAL CMD DK Sunil, in a one-on-one interview to TOI had said the PSU would roll out the first LCA Tejas Mk1A from its new Nashik production line by the end of July, which is yet to happen. The rollout from Nashik will mark a key milestone in HAL’s efforts to scale up Tejas production, even as the programme works through engine supply constraints and indigenous radar integration delays. While the current year may see three to four aircraft from Nashik, the plant has been built to support an annual output of eight. At present, HAL is operating two production lines in Bengaluru and has initiated the third at Nashik. A parallel private-sector supply chain — comprising VEM Technologies (centre fuselage), Alpha (rear fuselage), and L&T (wings) — is expected to contribute towards an additional six aircraft a year, eventually raising the overall production capacity to 30 aircraft annually. Sunil had said that despite engine supply delays from GE, HAL is pressing ahead with deliveries. “We have already built six aircraft which are ready and flying,” Sunil had told TOI. HAL expects to produce 12 aircraft this year, using available GE engines in rotation to carry out critical test flights. GE, which has now supplied three engines, has assured delivery of 12 engines this financial year.The deliveries are part of an order worth $716 million (Rs 5,375 crore) HAL had placed for 99 engines and support services with GE Aviation. “This is the largest ever deal and purchase order placed by HAL for LCA,” HAL had said in 2021, adding that the orders were placed for the highest thrust variant of the GE-F404 family of engines — the F404-GE-IN20. HAL, which has come under severe criticism from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for delays in the LCA programme had, in early 2021, had got a Rs 46,898-crore order for 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters, and at the time the promise was to start deliveries 36 months from the date of receiving the order.The order HAL has got is for 73 fighters and 10 trainers and the clearance for this was given by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in Jan 2021. The Mark-1A will have at least 43 “improvements” over the Tejas Mark-1 jets which the IAF has already placed orders for earlier.
