![]() The pact between GE and HAL - which will require clearance by the US Congress - finally brings to an end India’s long-drawn pursuit of advanced combat jet engine technology. While the LCA Tejas was integrated with the GE-404 engine, the government told Parliament in 2021 that technological capabilities built through the Kaveri engine project would be utilised, including as derivatives in drones. In 2011, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pulled up the GTRE for its inability to produce the engine for the LCA despite heavy cost overruns. There was a major shortfall in the wet thrust of the engine, which generated only 70.4 kN as against the targeted 81 kN. Nine full prototype engines and four core engines have been developed, 3,217 hours of engine testing has been carried out, and Altitude Tests and Flying Test Bed (FTB) trials have been completed - but the engines have not been found suitable for fighter aircraft. Subsequently, the ambitious Kaveri engine project was sanctioned in late 1989. The DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) first worked on developing the GTX-37 engine for the LCA. What kind of efforts has India made to build its own combat jet engine? Safran and HAL have co-developed the Shakti engine for the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand.
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