500 jets to make: India awaits US engines

India and the US agreement on a trade deal, augurs well for military technology sector. Aero engines, maritime surveillance planes, UAV’s and transport aircraft are in the pipeline. India-US technology-cooperation is at a crucial stage. US in June 2023 agreed on technology transfer and a joint venture to produce the General Electric’s F-414 aero-engine in collaboration. The upcoming Tejas Mark-2 fighter jet was planned and designed around the specifications of the GE F-414 engine. A ToT on engine would define the trajectory of India-US military-technology partnership, over the next 4-5 decades. Separately, India is facing a delay in supplies of contracted equipment of the GE F404 engines needed for the under production Tejas Mark1-A fighter jet. Both the projects are vital as public sector plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is scheduled to produce more than 500 jets using these US made engines. Also US company Lockheed Martin is in the race for making 80 medium transport aircraft in India. The company has pitched its C-130J aircraft in the bid. The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates a fleet of 12 C-130J aircraft. In 2024, the India signed a contract with the US government to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from General Atomics. These High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, capable of operating over both land and sea, are used by the US military for precision strikes. Also India is seeking six additional Boeing P8I long range maritime surveillance planes. The Navy already has 12 of these planes in its fleet. These were used extensively during Operation Sindoor with Pakistan ( May 7-10). Also during the military stand-off in Eastern Ladakh, the planes were often over the Himalayas keeping an eye on Chinese military movement across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) #IndiaDefense #MilitaryJets #USIndiaRelations #DefenseNews #AviationNews #IndianAirForce #DefenseIndustry #IndiaUSPartnership #MilitaryAircraft #IndiaNews