Why HAL's LCA Tejas Mk1A rollout will start slow despite the major engine deal with GE

A few weeks ago, defence PSU major Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) announced that it inked a deal with American defence major GE Aerospace to procure 113 jet engines for its Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) programme. Under the deal, the delivery of F404-GE-IN20 engines will begin from 2027 and is expected to be completed by 2032. 

As GE begins the supply of engines, in the next 24 to 36 months, HAL will be able to supply eight Tejas Mk1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) before significantly increasing the number of jets it will supply.

According to a Moneycontrol report, the initial delivery cycle may remain modest as the company stabilises its production line after GE starts the supply of the engines.

The signing of the contract to supply engines has been delayed due to cost negotiations. 

“HAL and GE had to align on escalating costs before locking the supply roadmap. The first phase is naturally slower. That has pushed the early aircraft deliveries into an eight-unit window over 24–36 months,” Moneycontrol quoted a source as saying.

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According to internal delivery charts, three major tranches of 24 fighter jets each will be rolled out after months 37, 49 and 61, and the final tranche of 12 fighters will arrive in months 73-84.

An official has been quoted as saying, “Once the line reaches steady rhythm, three full blocks of 24 jets each will move out almost back-to-back. The final 12-unit batch will close the Mk1A order around the seventh year. After that, deliveries for additional variants can be slotted.”

The official explained that HAL ordered 113 for now as engines have a defined shelf life, and added that more engines will be ordered as the Tejas fleet expands.

The defence ministry, in September, sealed a Rs 62,370 crore deal with the HAL to procure 97 Tejas MK1A single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft for the IAF, which is facing a major shortage of fighter squadrons. This is in addition to the Rs 48,000 crore deal for 83 Tejas Mk1A jets signed in 2021.

Defence