Article Posted on : - Jul 03, 2009

A file Photo of LCA Tejas

NEW DELHI (BNS): GAS Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) a laboratory under Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will deliver the Kaveri-Snecma engine for completion certification within 2013, a media report said.

“The engine will be used to power India’s own light combat aircraft, which is being readied for induction, The delivery deadline could be missed by a year at the most,” Mail Today quoted T. Mohan Rao , the laboratory director as saying on Thursday.

Indian Air Force favoured GE’s F414 or Eurojet’s EJ200 engines rather than GTRE’s engine as they claim this engine did not fulfill air staff requirement parameters of developing a “low altitude, high speed engine”.

“We need to look at the Integrated performance of the aircraft as well as the engine. Kaveri –Snecma’s integrated performance is as good as that of the other engine, engines by GE or Eurojet would necessitate extensive changes in the fuselage as their height and weight are much more than their engine,” he added.

According to Rao, India should prefer Indigenous engines over foreign options, “The advantage with an Indigenous engine is that changes can be made to the engine before the techonology matters in eight year or so,” It said.

Indian Navy is already using the Kaveri-Snecma engine and is happy with it, he said.