GE Aerospace announced that, in the coming days, it will deliver the first F404-IN20 engines manufactured in the United States to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to equip the new LCA Mk-1A fighter jets of the Indian Air Force. This announcement would end the delays the company had been facing due to logistical issues and supply chain problems, among others mentioned in recent months, which delayed the delivery schedule of new Indian combat aircraft.
The Indian Air Force is working on an ambitious and challenging program to renew its fighter fleet with indigenous models featuring a higher number of locally manufactured components. Although the goal was to incorporate a total of 83 LCA Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, with the first deliveries expected in March 2024, the original timeline has been delayed due to various issues, including the delivery of the F404 engines.
The new F404 engines for the LCA Mk-1A of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are part of an order placed in February 2021 for 99 units, valued at around USD 716 million, which will be used for the aforementioned 83 aircraft. Specifically designed for the single-engine fighter, and being the most powerful variant within the F404 family, the first engines were expected to be delivered starting in 2023, at a rate of 16 units per year. However, this was not achieved due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This caused HAL to face delays and issues meeting deadlines due to the delay in the supply of aircraft engines from GE Aerospace. General Electric had stated that the delay was due to the fact that: ‘The aerospace industry continues to face unprecedented pressures in the supply chain.’ However, after two years, this project began to see light at the end of the tunnel when, in early November 2024, GE reported that it would finally be able to begin the delivery of GE F404 engines in April 2025.
Now, with the news confirmed, it was highlighted that the first engine was delivered to a HAL team in Lynn, Massachusetts, and will arrive in India in the coming days. As for the remaining engines, GE Aerospace stated that it expects to deliver 12 engines this year.
Regarding the new fighter project, the Air Force plans to order an additional batch of 97 Mk-1A units at an estimated cost of 67,000 million rupees, aiming to accelerate the replacement of its old MiG-21 aircraft. To ensure timely delivery, the Indian company has also invested in three new production lines in Nashik and Bangalore, aiming to produce 24 aircraft per year.
For now, it should also be noted that India has managed to present four of these aircraft at the Aero India 2025 event, which flew in formation in front of a group of spectators and the current defense minister of the country, Shri Raj Nath Singh. These used B-class engines, leftovers from a previous agreement with the aforementioned U.S. company. On the other hand, among the most notable improvements, we can mention the incorporation of a new AESA radar, namely the locally made Uttam model. In addition, new electronic warfare capabilities, modifications to the aircraft’s structure, and new avionics will be added.
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