The wait of two years is over… HAL receives the first engine for Tejas Mark-1A from America

US major General Electric (GE) has finally delivered the first of the 99 contracted engines for the Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets after a delay of nearly two years. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is expected to speed up the production of this much-awaited indigenous jet.

40 fighter planes needed
HAL will certainly have to resolve other production-related issues as well. Such as the pending test of the Astra air-to-air missile from the single-engine Tejas Mark-1A and the integration of some critical systems. This is the reason for the delay in production. In recent weeks, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had publicly targeted the defense PSU. It was said that the number of fighter planes is low. In such a situation, at least 40 fighter planes need to be inducted every year to be ready for war.

20 engines will be available every year
TOI had earlier reported that the first of the 99 F-404 turbofan engines will arrive in March. It was contracted by HAL in August 2021 for Rs 5,375 crore. In this, GE has promised to deliver 12 engines in the first year and 20 engines every year thereafter. GE Aerospace announced on Wednesday that it has delivered the first engine to HAL, which will have to do the “complex and challenging task” of restarting the F-404 production line.

This is because it was idle for five years and will have to be reconnected to the global supply chain. HAL claims that it can gradually increase production to 20 Tejas per year and then 24 per year. This includes a third production line in Nashik in addition to the two existing production lines in Bengaluru.