Bharat Rakshak

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When I saw it first, I thought the page was showing error.

Parallel to the tests in Arakkonam, the representatives from US had given a briefing to the Indian Air Force, pitching GE- F 414 engines for LCA. The offer also included redesigning the LCA Tejas to accommodate the GE- F 414. However it was felt that this offer defies the very Air Staff requirement (ASR) for the light weight, small aircraft. GE- F 414 is a bigger and heavier engine, LCA dimensions will drastically change and it will push back LCA development for at least 3-5 years. Also the past experience dealing with US on LCA weighed heavy on the Indian minds. This time US decides not to cooperate midway, the Tejas project will be non recoverable.

GTRE seeks $2 billion for Kaveri-NG to fire Tejas/N.

GTRE management reorganized.. ISRO to take over Kaveri development

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BANGALORE: To cut any further delays in the development of Kaveri aero engine, which will power the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all to set partner with an engine manufacturer from abroad.

DRDO top brass are evaluating proposals from Snecma, a French company, and Russian firm Saturn that have come forward to assist the Bangalore-based DRDO lab, Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), to take the project forward.

‘‘Within a month we will complete technical evaluation of the proposals and we could start negotiations with them early next month,’’ Dr D Banerjee, Chief Controller R&D (AMS) told this website’s newspaper on Friday.

The deal is likely to be signed by year-end and the first engine would fly four years after that. The joint venture can give a major thrust to the combat aircraft engine project, which has suffered major time overruns.

The project started in 1980. The engine is 10 per cent overweight compared to the original design and is currently undergoing high altitude tests in Russia. ‘‘We need to accelerate the project,’’ the officer said.

Kaveri engines will replace the GE 404 engines, which are currently being used in LCA. As per the earlier schedule, the indigenously designed and developed engine was supposed to be ready by the time LCA gets initial operational clearance.

Turbine and compressor, which are the most critical components of the engine are the problem areas for the DRDO, which has done well in developing parts like fuselage and afterburner.

‘‘The JV would be on lead assist principle. Experts from both sides will work together and in some components they will lead and we will assist and in some other component they will assist us,’’ Banerjee said.

According to the chief controller the, foreign firms are interested in the project as there is a good market for Kaveri engines. ‘‘We are looking for around 200 to 300,’’ he said.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are fully involved in the entire process. While HAL will be manufacturing the engine, the IAF will be end-user of the product -- Kaveri engine fitted onto the LCA.

‘‘At the end of the project we will have design knowledge and we can even upgrade it,’’ Banerjee added. Once the project becomes a reality, India will join an elite league of countries which manufacture aero engines.

I think we can safely assume Kaveri will not enter service in the Tejas fleet except for testing. after kitting up 60 or Tejas with IN20, it will be too complex for IAF to maintain another type...we are not Massa who runs parallel GE and PW streams on F-16
and F-15, we dont have the numbers for it. so Kaveri might see a role in the next aircraft

. It must be completed and qualified
AT ALL COSTS ofcourse.

As we getting Mig 29K.Then We shuold USE Mig29K'S Engine In Navy's

Version of TEJAS,Which is already Tested.

Why we don't bring old HF 24,Re-engine,KAVERI which is underpower for

TEJAS,But will have power for HF-24 t0 Fly MACH 2.OR Call HF 2000

Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) Director, T Mohana Rao, in his presentation said his scientists were struggling to reduce the weight of the Kaveri engine to 1,050 Kgs as required by ADA for the LCA Tejas.

Rao said of the nine engine prototypes, the first three weighed 1,432 Kgs, the fourth to eighth weighed 1,235 Kgs while the ninth weighed 1.101.1 Kgs.

Centre shortlists foreign firms for aircraft engine production

Statesman News Service

BANGALORE, Sept. 1: The Union government has short listed two foreign companies, Snecma and Saturn, for joint design and production of the controversial Kaveri engine for the Light Combat Aircraft .The proposed joint venture is expected to be set up in association with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The government hopes to finalise the joint venture partner after evaluating the proposals sent by Snecma and Saturn before the end of the year. The target date for the first engine test has been fixed four years from the date of signing the contract. The selected partner would be required to pump in his part of the money by way of components though the exact quantum has not yet been worked out.

According to Dr D Banerjee, chief controller, DRDO, about 300 such engines are expected to be designed and produced under the proposed joint venture, to be set up in the country.

While Snecma is the subsidiary of the Safran group of France, NPO Saturn is a Russian company. Even though the two are competing with partner HAL to design and manufacture the Kaveri engine, they have also joined hands abroad in other projects.

The indigenous engine was originally planned to fly the LCA which is under various stages of testing and currently uses a GE engine. A decade long attempt to develop the engine has proved abortive so far, even though several crores of rupees and man hours have gone into it.

The government, particularly the DRDO has been receiving a lot of flak for the delay and the inability to get the indigenous engine going. Consequently, it is now moving fast to finalise an agreement with one of the two interested parties with hopes of signing it by December this year.

Dr Banerjee said that both Snecma and Saturn were reputed companies and had offered similar solutions to match the requirements for the development and designing of the engine.

Hopefully, he said, the technical evaluations would be over next month with the negotiations starting after that. The way the contract is being figured, the engine dimensions would have to match the fuselage.

The selected joint venture partner, he said, would have to transfer the design knowledge to the country and not merely the manufacturing process. More so as possibilities of upgrades could not be ruled out.

Similarly, technology transfer of components brought by the selected joint venture partner would be part of the arrangement.

Responding to queries, he said that the Indian market was extremely lucrative for foreign players which is why Snecma and Saturn were very keen to join hands with Indian firms. Both perceive a growing market in India to match their capabilities and expertise.

The excerpt :



From Here :

ADA plans supersonic fighter trainer

The IAF, who will be the Kaveri’s primary and probably only customer, has been largely reticent on this issue.