GE Aerospace has delivered the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A fight jet. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has contracted HAL for delivery of 83 TEJAS Mk-1As, including 10 twin-seat aircraft.

HAL was to deliver the first TEJAS Mk-1A along with additional examples in 2024. However, it has yet to commence deliveries, the delay being attributed by the state-owned airframer to GE Aerospace. HAL has stated that it expects to receive 12 new engines this year and 20 in 2026.

Nevertheless, in a statement, Shawn Warren General Manager, Combat & Trainer Engines, GE Aerospace said the company had delivered 65 F404-IN20 engines for the TEJAS programme by 2016, fulfilling its commitment to HAL. “With no additional engine orders on the horizon, the production line for F404-IN20 was shut down. However, when HAL ordered an additional 99 engines in 2021 for the TEJAS Mk1A LCA, our team began the complex task of restarting the F404-IN20 production line, which had been dormant for five years, and re-engaging the engine’s global supply chain.”

At Aero India, HAL’s CMD DK Sunil stated that the airframer was targeting deliveries of all 83 aircraft on order by 2027-28 from three operational TEJAS Mk-1A production lines. HAL has two TEJAS production facilities in Bengaluru and a third at Nashik.

GE Aerospace’s F404-IN20 engine was selected for the single-engine TEJAS in 2004 and is a tailored design for the Indian light fighter. While maintaining the proven architecture of the F404 family, the Indian variant delivers 19,000 lbf of thrust compared to the standard model's 17,700 lbf, making it the most powerful in its family. Technical advancements include a higher-flow fan, single-crystal turbine blades, and hot section material improvements optimized for Indian operational requirements.

Follow us on Telegram, Facebook and X.