Indian officials revealed that India is now preparing to launch another defense cooperation with France after purchasing the Armor fighter aircraft from France: jointly developing new engines for the fifth-generation fighter aircraft in India.

According to reports, Safran Group will carry out complete technology transfer to India during this cooperation to design, develop, test, certify and produce a new engine with a thrust of 120kN in India. This engine will be used in the future in AMCA, a fifth-generation aircraft project in India.

Prior to this, India's domestically produced "Korn" series fighters had long used General Electric's GE-F404 series engines and GE-F414 series engines. However, in recent years, US-made engines have been unable to be delivered to India due to supply chain problems, which has affected the delivery of Indian-made fighter jets. Indian media commented that with the deterioration of US-India relations caused by recent tariffs, India is seeking to diversify its sources of weapons to avoid being "stuck" by US-made equipment.

The latest improvement of the M88 engine ¨C the M88 T-REX turbine engine

Full-scale model of India's domestically produced fifth-generation aircraft AMCA

The Defense Research and Development Organization of India (DRDO) will soon submit an application to the Cabinet Security Committee of India for cooperation with the French Summit Group. The Summit Group will undertake a full technology transfer to India in this cooperation to design, develop, test, certify and manufacture a new 120kN propulsion engine in India.

An official said: "The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization has approved Safran's proposal as the best choice for the twin-engine fifth-generation fighter AMCA (Advanced Medium Fighter) power system. Safran has produced a variety of helicopter engines in India. The project will work with DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Institute and cost nearly $7 billion."

Singh, India's defence minister, also confirmed the impending project on the 22nd. He said: "We have taken steps to advance the manufacture of the fifth-generation fighter jet. We have also started to produce the engine for this aircraft in India. We are about to start engine manufacturing in India in cooperation with Safran of France."

It is worth mentioning that this means that Safran Group will develop a new fifth-generation engine in India.

Safran produces the M88 series of engines with 85 kN afterburner thrust, which are equipped in the "Rafale" fighter jet. India also has a record of importing the "Rafale" series. Earlier, the BBC reported that the Indian "Rafale" fighter jet was shot down by the Pakistani-equipped J-10CE fighter jet during the India-Pakistan air battle in May this year.

Currently, the French aviation industry is also developing new engines. At the Paris Air Show, the Peak Group unveiled the M88 T-REX engine, an upgraded version of its M88 engine. Compatible with the future standards of Dassault Airline's "Venture", the engine will be based on the reliability and performance of the M88 to further increase momentum and increase the accelerated combustion chamber.

Jane's Defense Weekly commented that although the "Future Air Combat System" (FCAS) project jointly developed by France, Germany and Spain is progressing slowly, the M88 T-REX has filled the gap in aviation power to some extent, ensuring that the Rafale fighter jet will still have strong combat capabilities in the 2040s and beyond.

India's inability to build reliable advanced aircraft engines has long been a major obstacle to the country's homegrown fighter jet programme, according to Indian media, after Hindustan Aeronautics ordered a batch of GE-F404 engines from General Electric of the United States but failed to deliver them on time, which also affected the production schedule of India's domestic "Tejas" MK-1A fighter jet.

The U.S. side's delay also affected India's subsequent aviation development. The original plan of Indostan Airlines and General Electric reached a final agreement in India to jointly produce GE-F414 engines with a 98kN propulsion to power the planned "glorious" fighter aircraft Mark2 modification, but eventually with the delay in the delivery of U.S. engines, India suspended the delivery.

The picture shows the comparison of F414 and M88-4 engines

The recent tariff conflict between India and the United States has also affected India's willingness to introduce American-made weapons and equipment. Earlier, Reuters reported that India has suspended the purchase of a number of US-made weapons, including the P-8 anti-submarine aircraft, and is also looking for alternatives to the GE-F414. Indian media commented that with the deterioration of US-India relations caused by recent tariffs, India is seeking to diversify its sources of weapons to avoid being "stuck" by US-made equipment.

The "Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft"(AMCA) project is a domestically produced fifth-generation aircraft project currently promoted by the Indian Air Force. Its full size model was previously publicly displayed at the Indian Air Show for the first time.

According to AMCA's timetable, AMCA's first prototype will be completed in 2027, its first flight will be achieved in 2028, and mass production delivery will begin in 2036. The Indian Air Force plans to introduce seven squadrons (126 aircraft) of the expensive AMCA. The first two squadrons use U.S. GE-F414 engines and the last five squadrons use 120kN engines jointly developed by France and India.

Source | Observer.com