HAL, GE near finish line to power LCA Mk2 with made-in-India engine

Companies sign manufacturing licence agreement, completing the technical negotiation stage covering the transfer of 80% of engine technology

The crucial Light Combat Aircraft Mark-2 (LCA Mk2) programme has got a fresh boost, with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Wednesday announcing it has signed an agreement with the American engine-maker GE Aerospace to produce the GE F414 engines intended to power the combat jet in India, with substantial transfer of technology (ToT). Certain commercial aspects of the broader agreement are still being discussed, but work to ensure a swift conclusion is ongoing, said a source who did not wish to be named.

 

The announcement comes at a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is in urgent need to