GTRE Near Finalizing Foreign Partner for AMCA 110kN Engine Co-Development

India's ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program is moving closer to securing a crucial engine development partnership, a pivotal step in realizing the country's 5th-generation fighter jet ambitions.

Sources close to the program indicate that the DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is actively pursuing collaboration with a foreign engine manufacturer.

GTRE's goal is to finalize a partner by mid-2024, laying the groundwork for a contract to be signed later this year or early next. This partnership is essential for the development of a new 5th-generation engine capable of generating 110-130kN of thrust – a considerable power increase necessary for the AMCA MkII variant.

Industry leaders in engine manufacturing, including Rolls-Royce, Safran, and GE, are all potential contenders for this co-development project. The selected engine will power the AMCA MkII, which is slated for production after 2035.

To ensure timely progression in the initial stages of the AMCA program, the initial prototype and the first 40 AMCA MkI units will use the proven GE-F414 engine.

According to industry sources, the co-developed engine is expected to have a wide range of applications. Beyond the AMCA, it could potentially power the Indian Navy's TEDBF program (a carrier-based fighter jet) and even be incorporated into upgraded Tejas MkII jets during their Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) in the mid-2040s.

This development underscores India's determination to boost its indigenous defense capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign imports.

A successful engine partnership would mark a significant technological leap for the AMCA program and bolster India's position as a rising aerospace power.

 

[MANIVANNAN N]

Able to develop amca without jv. Then why drdro findind partner for engine. Somehow getting fund and making people fool.

 

[Pad UwU]

DRDO and GTRE is slow on finding foreign companies to form JV😹😹😹 are they planning it till 2030🙃

 

[abhinav srivastava]

Also, consider an alternate plan. This is a bleeding edge tech, partner/vendor may throw surprises at the las moment.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

India should go for GE. The french are not good when it comes to value for money. And India needs to strenghten partnership with america to counter China. Macron recently visited China and repeated Chinese talking points. Also, GE is developing adaptive cycle engines for NGAD, I know it is a long shot, but chances will be greater that India gets few scraps from that technology, in 15 years or so if India chooses america and GE.
Also 414 deal has very high level of ToT, which shows how keen americans are to deepen partnership with India.

 

[RG]

This model has been tried and probably will not work. It would be better to form a vehicle with GTRE/Indian Private partners , which will manage the management and logistics issues, GTRE will provide technology know how. This Vehicle should work with Foreign partners for technology and production partnership. This model will better. GTRE it is a Lab and technology development. there burden of finance, administration and management must be handled by professional organization.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Able to develop amca without jv. Then why drdro findind partner for engine. Somehow getting fund and making people fool.

this deal is specifically for engine, AMCA mk1 will have foreign engine assembled in India

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

For at least last 14 years, search is on for a partner to develop own engine. Yet unable to fix even that much.

At this stage, since we continue to ride on a wave of sarkaari incompetence, please consider Shenyang FC-31 too. Cheap, imported and looks 5th gen too.

Come on, we are prioritizing Plan-B over Plan-A. Any sane country should be pushing our indigenous GTRE Kaveri lock, stock and smoking barrel while considering a foreign partner as Plan-B if everything fails. Yahan ham 15 saal sei partner hi khoj rahe without improving things at GTRE.

 

[sanket]

Able to develop amca without jv. Then why drdro findind partner for engine. Somehow getting fund and making people fool.

Developing Aero-Engine is very difficult , Very Few have done it on its own

 

[Rajesh]

The planing will take longer than the development phase.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

India should go for GE. The french are not good when it comes to value for money. And India needs to strenghten partnership with america to counter China. Macron recently visited China and repeated Chinese talking points. Also, GE is developing adaptive cycle engines for NGAD, I know it is a long shot, but chances will be greater that India gets few scraps from that technology, in 15 years or so if India chooses america and GE.
Also 414 deal has very high level of ToT, which shows how keen americans are to deepen partnership with India.

Let me tell you, what we will get is 4th gen engine which is existing from 1980s, thats what we will get, and nobody will give us technology above that either of 5th gen or 6th gen no matter how much money we throw. We dont have our basics right in engine technology or testbed. Thats the gap we want to bridge and thats how much behind we are. Now america doesnt share these with anybody except probably Britain. They will armtwist at slightest hint of our opposition. France even if they offer less technologically engine with full ipr for money its better to deal with them.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

Let me tell you, what we will get is 4th gen engine which is existing from 1980s, thats what we will get, and nobody will give us technology above that either of 5th gen or 6th gen no matter how much money we throw. We dont have our basics right in engine technology or testbed. Thats the gap we want to bridge and thats how much behind we are. Now america doesnt share these with anybody except probably Britain. They will armtwist at slightest hint of our opposition. France even if they offer less technologically engine with full ipr for money its better to deal with them.

What we are getting from ge 414 deal is manufacturing technologies, what we will get from other deal is know how,know why. in both manufacturing and knowledge we lack. Ge 414 deal is basically a better screwdrivergiri because we are screwdriving so many russian engines, knowledge hasnt come from there .

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Let me tell you, what we will get is 4th gen engine which is existing from 1980s, thats what we will get, and nobody will give us technology above that either of 5th gen or 6th gen no matter how much money we throw. We dont have our basics right in engine technology or testbed. Thats the gap we want to bridge and thats how much behind we are. Now america doesnt share these with anybody except probably Britain. They will armtwist at slightest hint of our opposition. France even if they offer less technologically engine with full ipr for money its better to deal with them.

414 has been upgraded many times and many countries are using it to power their 4th gen and 5th gen jets.

 

[Shiva]

Sad to see foreign collaboration for future plan.
No confidence to build up our own.
why GTRE is not collaborating with young brains of IITians/IIScians or Adani/Ambani/Tata private firms.

After all, why foreign collabortion!!!

 

[Akshat]

What we are getting from ge 414 deal is manufacturing technologies, what we will get from other deal is know how,know why. in both manufacturing and knowledge we lack. Ge 414 deal is basically a better screwdrivergiri because we are screwdriving so many russian engines, knowledge hasnt come from there .

Knowledge won’t come from 414 deal either because HAL is the one doing the screw driving,

 

[Akshat]

Sad to see foreign collaboration for future plan.
No confidence to build up our own.
why GTRE is not collaborating with young brains of IITians/IIScians or Adani/Ambani/Tata private firms.

After all, why foreign collabortion!!!

Because GTRE tried and failed. They had a blank check and they failed. Even this venture won’t do any good. Problem is GTRE. MoD should have thrown them out.

 

[Pink Panther]

this deal is specifically for engine, AMCA mk1 will have foreign engine assembled in India

Could this be one made for Tempest through Japan.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Could this be one made for Tempest through Japan.

I dont think so, after all amca and tempest are different jets with different requirements. Our engine will be tailor made for us.

 

[Taus Melek]

Countries like Turkey and South Korea are were late to the game but now appear to have powered ahead of India in the quest to produce a 5th generation fighter. In the meantime India (GTRE) is looking to foreign countries to help develop fighter engines. Those scientists in charge of running GTRE need to accelerate.

 

[Baka007]

When u focus on mugging up instead of concepts...