HAL Gets 7th GE Engine to Speed Up Tejas Mk-1A Production
HAL receives the seventh GE F404 engine, paving the way for faster Tejas Mk-1A fighter deliveries to the IAF.
New Delhi, July 13 (IANS): Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received the seventh GE F404-IN20 engine from US aerospace major GE Aerospace for the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jet that the public sector defence major is producing for the Indian Air Force (IAF), according to reliable sources.
The arrival of the engine, after a delay of several months, has come as a big relief, as the assembly of Tejas Mk-1A fighters can now be accelerated. Several completed airframes of the fighter aircraft are awaiting engine integration before flight testing and induction into the Indian Air Force.
The F404-IN20 engine powers both the Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A variants. Delays in engine deliveries from the US manufacturer have emerged as the biggest bottleneck affecting HAL's production schedule and the IAF's modernisation plans.
