In a groundbreaking deal signalling a significant advancement in defence cooperation between India and the US, GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have inked an agreement to jointly produce F414 jet engines for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The strategic partnership, unveiled during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit, is a crucial component of IAF’s Light Combat Aircraft Mk2 programme.
In a harmonious blend of political and industrial progress, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was made public before PM Modi’s consequential bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden. GE Aerospace, having already delivered over 1,600 F414 engines globally, anticipates the potential for increased volume due to this agreement, with US facilities already supporting F414 engine production set to benefit.
H Lawrence Culp, Jr., Chairman, and CEO of GE and CEO of GE Aerospace, hailed the agreement as “historic.” Culp emphasised the role the agreement plays in bolstering the vision of closer coordination between the two nations outlined by Biden and Modi. He added that the unmatched F414 engines offer significant economic and national security advantages for both India and the US.
The partnership isn’t the first for GE and HAL. Since 1986, the duo has collaborated on India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) projects with F404 engines. In fact, the F404 and F414 engines from GE Aerospace have played integral roles in the development and production programs of the LCA Mk1 and LCA Mk2.
This latest agreement advances GE Aerospace’s commitment to the Indian defence sector. It solidifies GE’s position to create a suite of products in India, including the F404 engine that powers the LCA Mk1 and LCA Mk1A aircraft, as well as the F414-INS6 engine for the prototype development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.
The deal also fortifies GE’s well-established presence in India, which includes the John F Welch Technology Centre in Bengaluru and the Multi-modal Factory in Pune. With over 66,000 engines installed in commercial and military aircraft worldwide, GE Aerospace continues to revolutionise the future of flight.
GE’s F414 military aircraft engine, known for powering high-tech fighters like the Boeing Super Hornet and Saab Gripen, is now set to enhance the capabilities of India’s own LCA Tejas Mk2, marking a vital milestone in India-US relations and the dissolution of previous technology denial regimes.
