State-owned plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics on Tuesday said that a team from the GE Aerospace will be arriving at the end of this month to negotiate on GE 414 engine’s 80 per cent transfer of technology (ToT) to the HAL. Once the clarity on it comes, the two sides will go for negotiation on pricing.

Earlier, the US had offered of 58 per cent of ToT.

“Our team had visited Boston just last week. We are taking two steps. The first one is to discuss on 80 percent ToT and once it is done the second step would be price negotiation,” HAL CMD DK Sunil said.

He also added that a team from GE would visit here at the end of this month. “There are certain technologies about which they said they will give processes, but we need the drawings. Once the discussion n ToT are over, we will go for price negotiation,” DK Sunil said.

The GE 414 engines will be fitted in the light combat aircraft (LCA) Mk2 and AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft).

Talking about the status of AMCA project, the HAL CMD said that the fifth generation fighter aircraft is expected to fly in three years.

Asianet Newsable has spoken to the AMCA project director Krishna Rajendra Neeli on its status. He said that the induction of AMCA would be started from 2036.

DK Sunil said that all aircraft – 83 LCA Mk1 and 97 LCA Mk1A, will be delivered to the Indian Air Force by 2031.

In next 3-3.5 years, all 83 LCA Mk1 will be supplied to the force. He also added that “the GE has committed to deliver 12 GE 404 engines to us in this calendar year.”

DK Sunil also said that the “Our order book position is expected to go up to Rs 2.50 lakh crore in 2026-27 as a number of contracts are in pipeline.” Among the major deals are supplying of 97 LCA Mk1A fighter jets, 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) and acquisition as well as upgrades of SU-30 MKI jets.

In the last nine months, “we have got Rs 55,800 crore worth contracts, which comprises Rs 39,000 crores of manufacturing orders -- such as for 240 AL-31 FP engines valued at Rs 25,350 crore and for acquisition of 12 SU-30 MKI at a cost of Rs 12,573 crore.

“We have also received an order worth Rs 16,500 crore of repair and overhaul, spares and design and development.

In the last one year, the HAL had supplied 25 ALH (advanced light helicopter) to the Indian Army, 9 ALH to the Indian Coast Guard, 80 RD-33 engines to the Indian Air Force, and 65 Dornier mid-life upgrades to the Indian Navy and the IAF, respectively.

With fresh orders, the order book stands at Rs 1.33 lakh crore as of December 2024, DK Sunil added.

Stating that the HAL’s order pipeline is very healthy, he said: “We are actively pursuing two major contracts, namely 97 LCA Mk-1A and 156 LCH orders. Both the orders are at an advanced stage of clearance and we expect both contracts to fructify during the next 3 to 6 months.”