HAL Gets More GE Firepower As F404 Engine Production Restarts

GE Aerospace has delivered three more F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, as the US aircraft engine manufacturer continues supplies under a major contract for India’s indigenous fighter programme.

The three engines were shipped to HAL in August 2026, GE Aerospace said. The latest delivery takes the number of engines supplied under the current programme further forward, with HAL having earlier received its seventh F404-IN20 engine for the Tejas Mk1A.

GE Aerospace is contracted to supply 99 F404-IN20 engines to HAL under a ₹5,375-crore agreement signed in 2021. The company said the engine has been specially adapted for India’s single-engine fighter aircraft.

GE Restarted F404 Production For Tejas Mk1A

The F404-IN20 is a variant designed specifically for the requirements of the Tejas programme. According to information published by GE Aerospace, the engine features the highest thrust in the F404 family, along with a higher-flow fan and specialised turbine components.

The F404 has a long history in military aviation and is used in combat aircraft around the world. GE Aerospace said it had earlier completed its commitment to HAL by delivering 65 F404-IN20 engines for the original Tejas LCA programme by 2016.

Production of the India-specific engine was subsequently stopped as there were no further orders in sight. However, the situation changed after HAL placed the additional order for 99 engines in 2021.

GE Aerospace then restarted the F404-IN20 production line after it had remained inactive for around five years. The company also reactivated its supply chain to support the new order.

Four Decades Of GE-HAL Partnership

GE Aerospace said its teams worked with HAL and other Tejas programme teams for several years to tailor the engine to the requirements of the Indian Air Force.

The company said the F404 had proved to be a suitable powerplant for the Tejas. According to GE Aerospace, the fighter reached Mach 1.1 during its first test flight in 2008 while climbing through multiple mission altitudes.

GE Aerospace also highlighted its nearly four-decade association with HAL and India’s military aviation sector. Its collaboration with India dates back to work with the Aeronautical Development Agency in the 1980s, while the F404-IN20 was selected for the Tejas programme in 2004.

The company described the latest engine deliveries as another milestone in its relationship with HAL and said the partnership would support India’s efforts to strengthen its domestic defence manufacturing capabilities.