India-US deal to produce F-414 jet engines to be sealed by March: HAL Chief Sunil

New Delhi | The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will seal a deal with US defence major GE Aerospace by March to jointly produce a jet engine to power the next generation of India's combat aircraft, the aviation behemoth's chief DK Sunil has said.

The mega plan to jointly produce the F-414 engines in India was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington DC in 2023, though the programme suffered from several slippages because of protracted negotiations on the sharing of advanced technologies.

In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, HAL Chairman and Managing Director Sunil said crucial negotiations with GE Aerospace on the transfer of technologies for the engines were concluded and both sides are now focusing on the commercial aspects of the project.

"We are now discussing the ToT (transfer of technologies) principles. (We will have) 80 per cent transfer of technology. Those discussions are more or less over," he said. "Now we will be getting into the commercials. So, in this financial year, we should be able to conclude this deal," he said.

The forward movement in joint production of the premier engines, which are powering combat jets in several countries including the US, Sweden and Australia, is seen as very significant considering the long-held US policy of maintaining strict controls over domestic military technologies.

Sunil said the GE engines will be used in the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mark 2 variant and the initial prototypes of fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

"We are having regular rounds of discussions with GE Aerospace," he said.

The F-414 project under the technology transfer framework is crucial for India's ambitious Tejas programme as well as the AMCA project.

The HAL is working on the Tejas Mark 2 variant which will be a much more potent platform featuring a more powerful engine, greater load carrying capability, superior electronic warfare system and an array of advanced avionics.

The IAF is procuring around 180 Tejas Mark 1A variants at a cost of around Rs 1.15 lakh crore. The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF's MiG-21 fighters.

India also has been working on the ambitious AMCA project to develop the medium-weight deep penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth features to bolster its air power capability.

AMCA along with the Tejas light combat aircraft are planned to be the mainstays of the Indian Air Force.

Sunil also talked about HAL winning a mega contract to supply Prachand helicopters to the Indian military.

In March, the defence ministry firmed up the procurement of 156 light combat helicopter 'Prachand' from the HAL at a cost of Rs 62,700 crore to bolster the combat capability of the military.

The HAL top executive said delivery of Prachand will commence in 2028.

HAL Chief DK Sunil

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand is India's first indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter having capability of operating at an altitude of over 4500 metres.

"It is the biggest contract in India's military history. We produced 15 limited series productions (variants of the chopper) and delivered them. It is a very big shot in the arm for 'aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in the defence sector," Sunil said.

The whole attack helicopters are going to be made by HAL within the country and that platform will feature an array of weapons including rockets and anti-tank guided missiles.