Beginning in the first quarter of the upcoming fiscal year, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is scheduled to start supplying the Indian Air Force (IAF) with TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK-1A fighter fighters. This schedule coincides with HAL’s expected delivery of the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines from GE Aerospace, a US company, the following month.
The initial engine undergoes rigorous testing and certification, which has contributed to delays, though subsequent engines are expected to arrive at a rate of one per month.
The TEJAS MK-1A, an advanced variant of the TEJAS MK-1, features upgraded avionics, an active electronically scanned array radar, and an enhanced electronic warfare suite. HAL has a contract to deliver 83 MK-1A aircraft under a ₹48,000-crore deal signed in 2021. However, delays in engine deliveries from GE Aerospace have caused setbacks in meeting earlier timelines. Despite these challenges, HAL aims to deliver 16 jets in FY 2024-25 and complete the order by 2028-29.
The IAF has expressed concerns over these delays, as they impact combat readiness. HAL has been working to ramp up production capacity and streamline operations to meet its commitments. The TEJAS MK-1A program is a critical component of India’s efforts to modernize its air force and reduce reliance on foreign aircraft manufacturers.
“Our conservative estimate is that we will hand over the first aircraft to the IAF from the Nashik facility in the first quarter of FY 2025-26 and the delivery of the rest should be smooth depending on availability of the engines from the GE,” said top HAL sources.
A number of problems have caused the TEJAS MK-1A’s delivery to be delayed, including the need for more stringent testing and certifications for the first F404-IN20 engine.
Following the initial delivery, GE will supply one engine every month. For testing and certifications, HAL currently uses CAT-B engines, which are used engines.
The TEJAS MK-1A is undergoing additional shooting and electronic warfare trials to guarantee the fighters are delivered in fully operational condition, as ordered by Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh. HAL has five more TEJAS MK-1As in the flight line and has previously flown four of them at the Aero India 2025 show in Bengaluru.
HAL has taken steps to meet the IAF’s acquisition demands: A third production line has been set up in Nashik.
“We are working closely with our suppliers to ramp up production on parts and materials for the F404-IN20,” Shawn Warren, General Manager, Combat & Trainer Engines, GE Aerospace, had said in a statement to media.
Negotiations with GE for 80% transfer of technology for manufacturing F-414 engines in India are expected to conclude within a month.
After a two-year delay, GE Aerospace has finally delivered the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). With the maximum thrust in the F404 series, improved fan flow, single-crystal turbine blades, and cutting-edge parts, these engines are designed specifically for the single-engine TEJAS MK-1A fighter.
From 2008 to 2016, GE supplied 65 F404-IN20 engines for previous Tejas models.
A significant milestone in GE’s 40-year collaboration with HAL, the delivery is anticipated to speed up the manufacture of 83 MK-1A aircraft that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had ordered for ₹48,000 crore.
A 2021 deal worth ₹48,000 crore was signed by the IAF for 83 TEJAS MK-1A. Notwithstanding the delays, the IAF is anticipated to place a new order with HAL for an extra 97 jets of the same model, valued at an estimated ₹67,000 crore.
