GE Aviation engine bid lowest for India’s jet fighter
September 30th, 2010 - 5:37 pm ICT by IANSBangalore, Sep 30 (IANS) General Electric’s subsidiary GE Aviation was declared the lowest bidder for supplying engines to power India’s second generation Tejas fighters, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-2, a senior official said Thursday.
“GE Aviation emerged as the lowest bidder for supplying about 100 engines (GE-414) to fit into the LCA Mk-2,” Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Controller (R&D) Prahlada told IANS here.
Europe’s Eurojet, a sister concern of Eurofighter that manufactures jet engines for its Typhoon fighter, was the other bidder short-listed for the multi-billion rupee tender after the global tender that was was floated in 2009 by the Indian defence ministry.
“Price negotiations and contract finalisation will be worked in the next two months,” Prahlada said. “GE Aviation will deliver 20 GE-414 engines from 2014 and the rest will be manufactured in India under transfer of technology to our defence establishments.”
According to a statement by the state-run DRDO, the price negotiating committee for the alternate engine declared GE Aviation the lowest bidder after commercial quotes of both the bidders were compared following evaluation and acceptance of their technical offer.
“We have decided to go for a new engine for the LCA Mk-2 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) sought a better engine with higher rate of performance in terms of speed, thrust and vector than GE-404 engines being used in LCA Mark-1,” Prahlada pointed out.
The IAF has placed an order with the defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to supply 40 Tejas fighters.
“The GE-414 engines will be developed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bangalore in collaboration with other DRDO agencies such as Aeronautical Development Agency and HAL,” Prahlada said.
The Kaveri engine, which is in the advance stage of development at GTRE, will be fitted in the first generation LCA Mk-1.
– Indo-Asian News service
fb/apb
- GE engine set to power India's indigenous combat fighter (Lead) - Sep 30, 2010
- IAF wants more improvements in Tejas: Antony - Feb 07, 2011
- Kaveri engine completes tests in Russia - May 02, 2011
- Bids received for indigenous fighter aircraft's engines - Dec 14, 2009
- Kaveri engine to be installed in 2018 - Sep 16, 2010
- India's indigenous fighter to soar high at aero show (Lead, With Images) - Feb 07, 2011
- India to flaunt indigenous fighter at aero show - Feb 07, 2011
- India's own first supersonic fighter Tejas handed to Air Force - Jan 10, 2011
- India to form indigenous Tejas fighter squadron by 2013 (Lead, with Images) - Jan 10, 2011
- India test flies naval variant of LCA (Lead) - Apr 28, 2012
- India's own first supersonic fighter Tejas to join Air Force today - Jan 10, 2011
- India unveils LCA at R-Day parade - Jan 26, 2011
- Defence panel approves LCA for Indian Navy - Feb 27, 2012
- India flight tests indigenous jet engine in Moscow - Nov 04, 2010
- Advanced version of indigenous combat jet by 2015 - Feb 09, 2011
Tags: aeronautical development agency, aviation engine, chief controller, defence establishments, defence research, development organisation, drdo, gas turbine research, global tender, gtre, indian air force, indian defence, light combat aircraft, mk 1, mk 2, negotiating committee, power india, price negotiations, sister concern, typhoon fighter