US firm GE Aerospace on Tuesday handed over the fourth GE-F404-IN20 engine to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) against the order of 2021.
The engine will be used for the LCA Mark-1A fighter jets, which will be inducted into the Indian Air Force in the near future.
On September 11, HAL had received the third GE-404 engine for the LCA Mark-1A fighter jet programme. "HAL has received the third GE-404 engine for LCA Mk1A. One more engine is scheduled to be delivered by the end of September 2025. Engine supply chain improvement will pave the way for LCA Mk1A aircraft deliveries," it said in a statement.
HAL has acquired 113 F404-IN20 fighter jet engines from GE Aerospace, in a deal valued at around USD 1 billion, amid ongoing trade negotiations with the US. The contract for the deal will be signed in October.
Speaking with ANI, Dr DK Sunil, HAL chairman and managing director, said that the agreement is expected to be inked by October this year, with negotiations at an advanced stage.
Regarding the contract for the 113 follow-on GE-404 engines, the HAL chief told ANI, "We expect to sign it in October. The contract will be worth more than 1 billion. The contract negotiations are done, and the price is finalised. We are only going through the contract details, and we have to sign. Now that this main contract is signed, in October, we will sign the contract with GE for 113 engines..."
The F404-IN20 engines will power India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A, with HAL having already secured a contract for 99 engines for the initial 83 Tejas jets ordered by the Indian Air Force.
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