France’s Safran and DRDO are expected to draw the roadmap for co-development of a high-thrust engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft MK-2

Expectations are soaring in the Indian defence scientist fraternity, especially among developers of the indigenous stealth fighter jet, after the surprise announcement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s France visit that the two countries had agreed to co-develop a high-thrust jet engine for India’s fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) MK-2.

Following the positive development on the engine front, developers of the AMCA are keenly awaiting clearances from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for additional funds to speed up the project. Engine development has been a major hurdle to an upgraded version of the AMCA the MK-2. For the initial lot of the AMCA MK-1, India has shortlisted the GE-F414 jet engine. It will be manufactured in the country under a co-production agreement between General Electric of the US and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), which is developing the AMCA, wants a high-thrust 110 kN engine to meet the supercruise requirements of the AMCA MK-2. This feature is not available in existing jet engines globally. Broadly, super cruising allows a jet to go supersonic, that is travel faster than the speed of sound, without engaging its afterburner, thereby decreasing fuel consumption and increasing flying range, among other things.

A fighter jet with supercruise feature will put India in an elite club of countries with their own fifth-generation fighter jets. The ADA had been in touch with multiple foreign players, such as France’s Safran, General Electric of the US and the British Rolls Royce, for co-developing fighter jet engines in India.

As things stand, the first 40 AMCA jets will fly on GE-F414 engines. The MK-2 version of the aircraft will use an engine co-developed in India with a foreign player.

Modi’s visit saw France and India announce they would work to co-develop a military jet engine. “In future, India and France will extend their ground-breaking defence cooperation in advanced aeronautical technologies by supporting the joint development of a combat aircraft engine,” stated the ‘Horizon 2047: 25th Anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, Towards a Century of India-France Relations’ document.

According to a source, the roadmap for co-development of the jet engine would be prepared by Safran and DRDO this year. Safran also has a memorandum of understanding with HAL for developing a helicopter engine.

Union MoS defence Ajay Bhatt informed Parliament earlier this year that the fifth-generation fighter aircraft were costlier than their fourth-generation versions due to special features. However, since the AMCA is an indigenous project, it would come out cheaper than similar aircraft available in the market.

Some Indian defence scientists claim the basic aircraft without weapons package, maintenance cost and upgrades specific to India may cost around 50-60 per cent cheaper than one imported. “However, when the lifecycle cost is assessed, it will definitely be cheaper by around 70 per cent,” said a scientist.