GE Aerospace on April 13 announced concluding agreement with Indian Air Force on creating on country territory a repair center for F404-IN20 aviation engines equipping Indian Tejas fighters. After commissioning, country's air forces will be able to abandon using foreign repair centers, which in turn will positively impact aviation engine repair work completion timelines.
It is noted the built production complex will be fully owned by Indian Air Force, while GE Aerospace will provide technical support to Indian specialists and supply necessary spare parts and required equipment.
Read more: SCALP Missiles and GBU-39 Bombs Hit russian Drone Bases Near Donetsk Airport (Video)
At the same time, so far at least officially, no other agreement details are revealed — how much such repair center will cost India, when its construction should begin and how quickly it can be ready for operation. As GE Aerospace Vice President of Sales and Business Development Rita Flaherty noted, this repair center will ensure F404-IN20 engine availability for Indian Air Force, guaranteeing them unimpeded access to advanced technologies to satisfy their defense needs.
Interesting is the fact that news about F404 engine repair center construction for Tejas fighters appeared amid news that India will fine General Electric company for delays in supplying these engines.
This involves the fact that after concluding agreement in 2021, over five years American company sent India only six of 99 engines for Tejas. Despite promises to deliver 20 engines by year end, GE will receive penalty of 10% of contract value, approximately $71.6 million.
Actually delivery delay is a serious matter, as it directly impacts fighter production, which in turn directly impacts Indian Air Force combat capability, especially relevant in current global security situation overall.
However, repair center construction is hardly directly related to engine delivery delay, especially as this may not even be a matter of one year, and repair center availability will not impact engine deliveries. However, on the other hand, it will enable faster repair of available engines and accordingly maintain better level of combat-ready fighters.
Ultimately, such center operation will be useful in future, as last year India ordered nearly another hundred Tejas Mk1 fighters and the same F404 engines for them.
Recall that besides producing own fighters, India also plans to strengthen its military with 114 French Rafale fighters. However, despite previous expectations for contract signing early this year, it still has not been concluded. Parties are still half step away from mega-contract, as France does not want to give India carte blanche in form of freely possible capability to make changes to aircraft weapons, update electronic warfare, and so on.
It should also be recalled India intends to join one of available sixth-generation fighter programs, namely FCAS which is effectively already dead, as well as GCAP which has better implementation chances.
Previously, Defense Express reported that to sell India their analogovnet Su-57s, russians are offering paper-only two-seat modification for UAVs.
Read more: Germany Orders "Thousands" of AI Strike Drones for Ukraine, Anubis, Seth-X With Advanced Autonomy
