Context:
India has received the second GE-F404 engine from the United States for its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A programme. The engine was delivered to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer of the LCA fleet.
About GE-F404 Engine & LCA Mk-1A
- The GE-F404 is a twin-spool, low-bypass turbofan engine known for reliability and high thrust-to-weight ratio.
- The LCA Mk-1A, an upgraded variant of the Tejas fighter, features:
- Improved avionics
- Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
- Electronic warfare (EW) systems
- Mid-air refuelling and reduced maintenance needs
