Bad news for Pakistan as India to manufacture modern fighter jet engines locally, takes big step as HAL CMD visits.
Bad news for Pakistan as India to manufacture modern fighter jet engines locally, takes big step as HAL CMD visits.
India wants to completely end its dependence on foreign countries for fighter jets. For this, India has chosen its old friend Russia.
DK Sunil, the CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) visited Russia to discuss the serial production of the engines of fighter jets working in the Indian Air Force (IAF) in India itself.India and Russia are exploring the possibility of jointly making engines for Sukhoi aircraft. For this, special focus is being given on the AL-30FP engine used in the Sukhoi-31MKI fleet.
A delegation led by HAL CMD DK Sunil is currently in Russia to sign an agreement for license manufacture of 240 AL-31FP aero engines for Su-30MKI fighter jets in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy to increase indigenous defence capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign technology.
Shortage of fighter squadrons in Indian Air Force
The government has recently finalized a contract worth Rs 26 thousand crore (about $ 3.1 billion) with HAL for the purchase of 240 AL-31FP engines. The purpose of this deal is to increase the capacity of the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft. The biggest reason for this is that there is a shortage of fighter squadrons in the Indian Air Force.
HAL plans to increase the indigenous content of these engines from 54% to 63% during production. The move is also aimed at boosting local manufacturing capabilities and reducing dependence on Russian components. The engines will be manufactured at HAL’s Koraput facility in Odisha and some of the components will be sourced from Russia for now.
Joint production venture
Apart from this, a possible joint production venture between India and Russia is also being discussed. It may also include technology transfer. Besides procuring engines, HAL is also set to upgrade its entire Su-30 fleet at an estimated cost of Rs 65,000 crore.
A fighter jet needs additional engines during its life. Generally, the life of a fighter jet is 30 to 40 years. Meanwhile, the engines are changed two to three times. The Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft also need new engines.Security personnel deployed “without live ammunition” for Nov 24 protest
