New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): HAL Chairman DK Sunil on Thursday expressed confidence that American General Electric will ramp up supply of its GE-404 engines for the LCA Mk1A fighter jets and 12 engines are expected to be delivered by the end of this financial year.

He also informed that HAL has had a meeting with the top management of GE and they are sharing a lot of information on a regular basis. He said GE has promised to deliver 20 engines next year.

'The ramping up is taking place. They (GE) had promised us 12 engines in a year, but perhaps now we will get 12 engines by the end of the financial year. This year, we may get 10. We will get the remaining by March. We have already built the 10th aircraft, and the 11th aircraft is ready... They are now sorting out their supply chain,' DK Sunil told ANI in an interview.

'The basic problems are done, and now the production will ramp up... Next year, they have promised us 20 engines. We have had a meeting with their top management and they are also sharing a lot of information on a regular basis about where the engine is, what the issues are. The communication has improved and we are confident that they will be able to now ramp up and meet our requirement,' he added.

Regarding the contract for the 113 follow-on G404 engines, DK Sunil said they expect to sign the contract in October.

'The contract will be worth more than 1 billion. The contract negotiations are done, and the price is finalised. We are only going through the contract details, and we have to sign. Now that this main contract is signed, in October, we will sign the contract with GE for 113 engines,' he said.

Answering queries, DK Sunil said that there has been no discussion about the French engine as far as LCM Mk2 is concerned with India's indigenously designed and developed fighter aircraft designed around the GE-414 engine.

Rebutting media reports of India considering French fighter engines, DK Sunil negotiations are at an advanced stage with American multinational conglomerate General Electric (GE).

He also said the concerns over tariff imposed by the United States on Indian goods does not have an impact on discussions with GE concerning the fighter jet engine.

'As far as my knowledge goes, there is no discussion about the French engine as far as LCM Mk2 is concerned. LCM Mk2 has been designed around the 414 engine... Our negotiations are at an advanced stage with GE. We have already had six rounds of meetings. Another round will happen now in the USA in the first week of October. We are moving at a good pace... I don't think whatever is happening about the tariff has any impact on our discussions with GE,' DK Sunil told ANI in an interview.

He was asked about impact on getting engines from the GE due to the tariffs.

Reports in section of media said that India is weighing the option of French-made engines for its fighter jets due 'to slow pace of talks' on joint manufacturing.

'First an engine is identified for the role and then the aircraft is built around that. It is not easy to just pull it out... Even if you wanted to change a car engine, it would be difficult; and we are talking about a fighter. Comments (on social media) are made without knowing the complexity of the issue,' he said.

'But you can look at any aircraft manufacturer in the world. It's always that you select the engine and then build the aircraft. This is probably an uninformed discussion or speculation,' he added.

Asked about the Defence Ministry signing a contract with HAL for procurement of 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft for IAF, DK Sunil said that by financial year 2032-33, 'we will finish all the 180 aircraft. That is the target.'

Ministry of Defence on Thursday signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters, along with associated equipment, for Indian Air Force, at a cost of over Rs. 62,370 crore (excluding taxes).

The delivery of these aircraft would commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years.The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64%, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021.

The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives.

The project is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components, a Defence Ministry release said.

The production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.

The acquisition, under the 'Buy (India-IDDM)' category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in line with the Government's thrust on indigenisation. The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed & manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF.

DK Sunil said the decision concerning for supply of 97 MCA Mk1A is a red letter day for HAL.'This follow-on order of 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1 Alpha. This is a follow-on order with the fighters and trainers. There will be 70% indigenous content in this order as compared to the earlier one... We will integrate the indigenous radar, EW suite, and many other equipment. This allows us to continue our supply chain. We have already concluded the follow-on order of 113 engines with General Electric,' he said.

'Now we will be signing the contract with them. This is a very good vote of confidence by the Government of India. The work HAL is doing and the indigenous content and the ecosystem we are building and working, it is an excellent example of how the government is walking the talk of Atma nirbhartha and giving orders so that this will generate jobs downstream, not only in HAL but downstream in all our ecosystem... It is a very big boost for Atmanirbharta,' he said.

Asked about the benefit in terms of job creation and for private sector, DK Sunil said the indigenous supply chain that will have this downstream effect of creating jobs.

'... In this aircraft, roughly 50% is the material content... These materials could be equipment, metal, any spare part or whatever we build; they are all going to come mostly from the Indian private sector... A huge number of crores will go into the indigenous supply chain that will have this downstream effect of creating jobs,' he said.

'We are trying to build those supply chains to reach the 70%. When these new indigenous radars, Uttam, Swayam or the Kavach, ...are going to be made in India. There will be a spin-off of all these companies, which will generate lots of jobs... It is going to be a very big benefit for the whole ecosystem,' he added. (ANI)