Engine Failure
Dream Project stutters to a stop,2000 crore and 20 years later
Two decades after venturing into an ambitious project to make an indigenous engine for our LCA, a project which was supposed to propel India into exclusive club of engine makers and meet domestic requirements with a 2000 crore rupees and 20 years of research ,
the engine project is abandoned for technical reasons.
However the Kaveri_snecma one with a projected 90kn thrust (+ reheat thrust) will be made and negotiations are still on.
What a shame!
DRDO is now saying it can power navy ships with modifications and can power LCA-Mk1 only.
Kaveri factfile
- Lacks engine thrust reqd for LCA to perform its full envelope.
- 2000 crores and 20 years.
- Development effort reqd was underestimated at the time of sanction.
- No database available for estimating realistic time and cost.
- DRDO says its a major achievement in terms of technology demonstration.
-