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The Hindu : NATIONAL / KARNATAKA : HAL revs up aero engine programme again
The nations aero engine development programme, stuck for over two decades, has got a fresh kick-start.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., primarily making the bodies of military aircraft until now, is now in the thick of developing an Indian engine for indigenously planned trainer or regional aircraft. Its board has cleared investing Rs. 400 crore over two phases.
If the plan goes as scheduled, HAL should have a design of its own engine by September this year and test the prototypes after three years in 2016, according to its top management.
Were making conscious plans [in engine development]. We have created a specific engine cell and earmarked a fund to develop a 20-kilonewton (kN) engine, HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi told presspersons here Thursday. If you are looking for development of indigenous capabilities, engines will be important.
French partner
HAL has roped in its existing partner, Snecma of France, in its effort. The defence public sector company also makes engine components in a tie-up with British engines major Rolls-Royce and has license-produced a variety of engines of these companies at its engine and aero structures division.
HAL is venturing into making a mid-segment engine, which can be used on the trainer we are building or the regional jets we have planned, said T. Suvarna Raju, Director, Design and Development, who helms the programme.
Some 25 years ago, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) launched its 10-kN Kaveri engine programme to power made-in-India fighter planes. Now totalling Rs. 2,000 crore, the Kaveri has fallen short of the requirements of the LCA (light combat aircraft) and the government has imported nearly 100 GE F404 aero engines at some Rs. 3,000 crore to fit into the plane.
In more than 70 years, 3,776 aircraft have been manufactured and more than 4,000 engines made in the country. It was a natural progression, having done 14 licensed productions, knowing what technologies are involved and being exposed to all latest ones.
It has made Adour variants of Rolls-Royce, Garrett TPE turboprop engines of Honeywell, and Artouste for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
The market
With Asia buying a large number of civil and military aircraft engines, the subcontinent, according to Mr. Tyagi, would be a great emerging market. In a few years time, the aero engines market in India will be about Rs. 2.5 lakh crore.
The country had enough dependence on imported or licence-manufactured engines. The old 374-kg engine designed and built by HAL did not find use and now powers unmanned air vehicles. We have the technology and the schedule for it. By September 2013, the preliminary design will be reviewed, and in three years, we would like to see the prototypes, he said.
HALs prime aircraft customer is IAF. Its chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne conceded at another media conference that engine technology was the most complex and difficult. Nobody gives it to you. You have to do it yourself.
The nations aero engine development programme, stuck for over two decades, has got a fresh kick-start.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., primarily making the bodies of military aircraft until now, is now in the thick of developing an Indian engine for indigenously planned trainer or regional aircraft. Its board has cleared investing Rs. 400 crore over two phases.
If the plan goes as scheduled, HAL should have a design of its own engine by September this year and test the prototypes after three years in 2016, according to its top management.
Were making conscious plans [in engine development]. We have created a specific engine cell and earmarked a fund to develop a 20-kilonewton (kN) engine, HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi told presspersons here Thursday. If you are looking for development of indigenous capabilities, engines will be important.
French partner
HAL has roped in its existing partner, Snecma of France, in its effort. The defence public sector company also makes engine components in a tie-up with British engines major Rolls-Royce and has license-produced a variety of engines of these companies at its engine and aero structures division.
HAL is venturing into making a mid-segment engine, which can be used on the trainer we are building or the regional jets we have planned, said T. Suvarna Raju, Director, Design and Development, who helms the programme.
Some 25 years ago, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) launched its 10-kN Kaveri engine programme to power made-in-India fighter planes. Now totalling Rs. 2,000 crore, the Kaveri has fallen short of the requirements of the LCA (light combat aircraft) and the government has imported nearly 100 GE F404 aero engines at some Rs. 3,000 crore to fit into the plane.
In more than 70 years, 3,776 aircraft have been manufactured and more than 4,000 engines made in the country. It was a natural progression, having done 14 licensed productions, knowing what technologies are involved and being exposed to all latest ones.
It has made Adour variants of Rolls-Royce, Garrett TPE turboprop engines of Honeywell, and Artouste for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
The market
With Asia buying a large number of civil and military aircraft engines, the subcontinent, according to Mr. Tyagi, would be a great emerging market. In a few years time, the aero engines market in India will be about Rs. 2.5 lakh crore.
The country had enough dependence on imported or licence-manufactured engines. The old 374-kg engine designed and built by HAL did not find use and now powers unmanned air vehicles. We have the technology and the schedule for it. By September 2013, the preliminary design will be reviewed, and in three years, we would like to see the prototypes, he said.
HALs prime aircraft customer is IAF. Its chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne conceded at another media conference that engine technology was the most complex and difficult. Nobody gives it to you. You have to do it yourself.
