New Delhi, June 25. India’s plans to develop its indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) have run into a challenge after the cost of the GE Aerospace F414 engines sought for the fighter’s design and prototype development reportedly proved significantly higher than anticipated, prompting the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to explore alternative options.
Citing sources, The Tribune reported that the requirement for engines to support the AMCA’s design and development phase is separate from the ongoing negotiations between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for licensed production of the same F414 engine in India under a joint venture arrangement.
While technical discussions for the proposed joint venture have been completed, commercial negotiations covering pricing and contractual terms remain underway and are expected to continue for several more months.
The proposed GE-HAL partnership envisages technology transfer, licensed manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, supply of spares, warranties and delivery schedules for the F414 engine. These engines are intended to power the HAL Tejas Mk2 and the initial version of the AMCA, while a later variant of the stealth fighter is expected to be equipped with a more powerful engine being jointly developed by Safran and HAL.
However, sources indicated that the engines required for the AMCA’s prototype development phase have become a major cost concern after GE reportedly quoted prices nearly three times higher than earlier projections.
The F414 engines had initially been expected to cost around ₹70-80 crore per unit, but the revised price quoted by the US manufacturer is understood to be close to three times that figure.
Given that the AMCA is being designed as a twin-engine fighter, the higher engine costs could substantially increase expenditure during the development phase and potentially affect programme timelines for one of India’s most important military aviation projects.
The AMCA programme is expected to form the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s future combat fleet and represents India’s effort to field an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
Last month, the Ministry of Defence invited three shortlisted industry teams to submit commercial and technical bids for the construction of five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft.
The contenders include Tata Advanced Systems Limited bidding independently; a consortium led by Larsen & Toubro alongside Bharat Electronics Limited and Dynamatic Technologies Limited; and another consortium comprising Bharat Forge, BEML Limited and Data Patterns (India) Limited.
The selected industry partner will work with the Aeronautical Development Agency under DRDO to develop the prototypes and advance the programme toward flight testing and eventual induction into service.
A limited number of F414 engines had been sought from GE specifically to support this design and development effort before the unexpectedly high pricing prompted a reassessment of options.
