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IAF operates with 31 squadrons, target is 42

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Jet maker HAL facing issue with engine supplies

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HAL says it understands concerns, trying to fix problem

By Shivam Patel

BENGALURU, Feb 12 (Reuters) - India's state fighter jet

maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) said it understood why the

military was impatient over delays in delivering warplanes and

would start rolling them out once General Electric ( GE )

supplied engines for them.

In a press conference on Tuesday, called after the emergence

of a video showing the head of the air force rebuking company

officials, HAL Chairman D.K. Sunil said: "The concern of the air

chief is understandable. Of course, his squadron strengths are

going down."

"We have now promised that we will have all the structures

ready," Sunil said "We are building this. Once the engines are

available, this will start rolling out."

The Indian Air Force's fleet of mainly ex-Soviet aircraft

has been operating with only 31 fighter squadrons compared with

a target of 42, frustrating its officials given the country's

tense relations with neighbours China and Pakistan.

The Air Force has ordered 83 Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A

from HAL, an advanced variant of the operational Mk-1, with

deliveries initially planned to start in February 2024 as part

of a 364.68 billion rupees ($4.20 billion) contract. It plans to

procure 97 more Mk-1As, which would take the total of the

"Tejas" group of aircraft to 220.

But deliveries have been repeatedly delayed, including due

to a slow supply of engines from GE, which has been facing

supply chain issues. GE did not immediately respond to a request

for comment from Reuters on Wednesday.

A video filmed by defence news outlet National Defence went

viral on Tuesday showing Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh at

the Aero India air show in Bengaluru the previous day rebuking

HAL officials.

"At the moment I am just not confident of HAL," Singh says,

seating inside the cockpit of a trainer aircraft as HAL

officials crouched by his side on a platform.

"I was promised that when I come here in February I will see

11 Mk1As ready, minus the engines," Singh said. "Not a single

one is ready. Not impressed."

India's defence production secretary, Sanjeev Kumar, said at

the same air show that production lines had stabilised both at

HAL and GE, and that the Indian company would have the capacity

to hand over 16 to 24 aircraft in the fiscal year that starts in

April.

India's close defence partner Russia this week also offered

to make its fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Sukhoi Su-57 in

India for the Indian Air Force, by enhancing the Indian

production line of the Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft, 260 of which are

in India's fleet.

($1 = 86.8700 Indian rupees)