India, US close to inking over $600 m jet engine deal

[zimmick]

NEW DELHI, JULY 15:
India and the US are close to signing a deal worth over $600 million for supplying 99 jet engines that would be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ being developed by the DRDO.

Around two years ago, India had selected the American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15.

Negotiations with the US firm over various issues involved in the deal, including price and transfer of technology, have been held and it is hoped that the deal for these engines to be fitted on the LCA Mark II would be signed soon, Defence sources told PTI here.

As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines initially but India will have the option of order for another 100 engines in the future.

The engine on offer for the LCA Mark II is GE F-414 engine, which are more powerful that the GE F-404 engines fitted in the first batch of LCAs that the Indian Air Force would receive in near future.

The need for changing the existing engines in the LCAs was felt after the IAF found out that the GE-404 engines were not providing enough power to the aircraft and more powerful engines were needed for the purpose.

The DRDO is developing the LCA Mk II to meet the Indian Air Force requirements and it will have latest technological equipment including the latest Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radar and would be able to carry more payload than the LCA Mk I.

Last month, the trials of the LCA Mk I were carried out in Pokharan desert firing range where laser-guided bombs and other weapon systems were tried.

As per the current plans, the IAF will induct two squadrons of the LCA Mk I and then the delivery of LCA Mk II aircraft would be done.

 

[45'22']

6 million$ per engine,thats costly

 

[magecaster]

As long as there is transfer of technology.

 

[karan.1970]

6 million$ per engine,thats costly

must be including the some running maintenance etc..RD 93 that powers JF 17 is priced at about 3 million a pop i think.. So by that comparison, its not too high

 

[sancho]

6 million$ per engine,thats costly

Actually it's cheap, GE 414 engines for F18s were estimated at 8 mios each, while RD 33 for Migs at 4$, but the important point is the way longer life of the GE engines, or western engines in general. You need twice the number of Russian engines and that's possibly a reason why the Russian offers to co-develop Kaveri, or to provide a stopgap engine were constantly turned down.

 

[Asskicker]

As long as there is transfer of technology.

Provided their is no strings attached with it.....

 

[Yogi]

As long as there is transfer of technology.

I don't see much tot coming our way bcoz of the obvious reason ''Ameriiikkaaa'' u know

 

[KRAIT]

Actually it's cheap, GE 414 engines for F18s were estimated at 8 mios each, while RD 33 for Migs at 4$, but the important point is the way longer life of the GE engines, or western engines in general. You need twice the number of Russian engines and that's possibly a reason why the Russian offers to co-develop Kaveri, or to provide a stopgap engine were constantly turned down.

But it comes with sanction prone conditions....what about that....any clause to avoid this in contract?

 

[oFFbEAT]

.
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'KAVERI' ........kahan kho gaya tu .

 

[45'22']

Actually it's cheap, GE 414 engines for F18s were estimated at 8 mios each, while RD 33 for Migs at 4$, but the important point is the way longer life of the GE engines, or western engines in general. You need twice the number of Russian engines and that's possibly a reason why the Russian offers to co-develop Kaveri, or to provide a stopgap engine were constantly turned down.

from ur point of view it seems good but overall as u compare the price of lca mk2 is touching 40-45 miilion dollars and is expected to rise more,is it worth the plane

 

[Bobby]

Thanks a lot for the news....I come to PDF to hear some good news about India and almost on daily basis I hear some good news

India Rocks.....

 

[sancho]

But it comes with sanction prone conditions....what about that....any clause to avoid this in contract?

True and I would have chosen them as stopgap engines in the early stages of the development for sure, but DRDO and Co are too focused on the US in the LCA development. The GE engines for sure comes with restritions, there were reports that they even wanted to restrict the operational use of the fighters that use these engines, without their approval, which was rejected by MoD. However, in the bad situation we are thanks to Kaveri development failure, the GE engine was a cost-effective, proven stopgap engine, especially since it must be used in the naval field and N-LCA too. So the options that we had now wasn't that good anyway, that's why nobody should expect any useful ToT from this deal.

 

[arp2041]

from ur point of view it seems good but overall as u compare the price of lca mk2 is touching 40-45 miilion dollars and is expected to rise more,is it worth the plane

LCA cost can only come down when there is mass production of the aircraft after IAF gives it's full backing by making a firm order of at least 120 LCA's. Currently they are producing 3-4 LSP's (not sure) per year which is making the cost of the aircraft high.

+ this engine deal makes the case for indigenization more & more stronger, we can not remain ever dependent on a foreign country for our defence needs, they are both costly plus (very importantly) makes the recipient dependent on the seller till the equipment life cycle gets completed.

 

[tvsram1992]

cant we get f22 engines ?

 

[arp2041]

cant we get f22 engines ?

why only engines??? US has made more than 180 f22 just for IAF...........