US engine maker supplies 4th engine for Tejas Mark 1A jet, raises hopes of early induction of jet

US-headquartered engine maker General Electric, on Wednesday said it had delivered the fourth engine for the under-production Tejas Mark 1-A jets, raising hopes for an early induction of the jet into the Indian Air Force that is facing a serious shortage.

The plane maker, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is facing a delay in the supply of GE’s F-404 engines for the Tejas Mark-1A. Almost a dozen jets are ready at the HAL facility, however, so far only three engines had been supplied by the GE. In turn, this has meant not a single jet has been delivered to IAF.

As per a Rs 48,000-crore contract signed in January 2021, deliveries to IAF should have commenced in March 2024 while the F-404 engines from GE should have started coming at least a year prior to that date.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had, in January 2021, signed a Rs 48,000-crore contract with HAL for making 83 Tejas Mark 1-A jets. In turn, the GE signed a $716 million contract with HAL to supply 99 of the F404 engines for the Tejas Mark-1A jets. Supplies were to start in April 2023 at the rate of 16 engines a year. 

The GE has promised to deliver 12 engines within this year and 20 engines in the each year thereafter.

Though HAL is a listed company, the MoD holds a majority stake.

Even as the engine-delays held back the deliveries, the MoD last week signed a contract with HAL for procurement of an additional 97 Tejas Mark-1A for Rs 62,370 crore.

The IAF presently has 31 squadrons (16-18 planes each) of fighter jets against the mandate of 42 to tackle a collusive two-front threat against Pakistan and China. After the phasing out of the two MiG 21 squadrons, the strength is now down to 29 squadrons.

The IAF’s fleets of Jaguar, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000, all inducted in phases during the 1980s, are slated to retire in batches beyond 2029-30. These four types of jets are about 250 in number and are presently operating on an extended life cycle.

As per the plan, India needs to produce some 500 fighter jets for the IAF in the next two decades.

The Tejas programme is to help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s.

Separately, the IAF already has 40 Tejas Mark1 jets.