The pic is literally a year old (at least), and nothing exclusive. It's from a slide last year's presentation on Ghatak UCAV which was taken down.
All imported by our free loader dhandho Bahadurs
What is wrong with importing machines? All the new semi-con fabs coming up will use imported equipment. You have to start somewhere. Can't start climbing a tree from the top.
India is moving forward with a strong push toward self-reliance in defence aviation technology. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment, a leading lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Ministry of Defence, has released a Request for Information (RFI) to set up a National Aero Engine Test Complex (NAETC).
What the NAETC Will Include
The National Aero Engine Test Complex is planned as a fully integrated, world-class testing hub within India. It will include:
- A High Altitude Engine Test Facility to simulate real flight conditions at extreme altitudes
- A Fan and Compressor Test Facility for evaluating compression stages
- A Combustor Test Facility to assess combustion performance and durability
- A Turbine Test Facility for testing turbine components under realistic stress conditions
- An Afterburner Test Facility to validate thrust augmentation systems
Beyond supporting GTRE, this complex is expected to serve as a national resource for India’s wider aerospace ecosystem.
Call for Global Participation
Through RFI, GTRE is inviting interest from both Indian and international players. This includes:
- Original Equipment Manufacturers
- Test facility developers and integrators
- Industrial partners
- Joint ventures and consortiums
Finally something is happening in single crystalline blades...
The Development Partner shall machine 200 nos. of HPT-Blades and 50 nos. of paired HPT-Vane through processes approved by Technical Airworthiness Agency (TAA) meeting all the stipulated technical requirements along with the dimensional inspection reports.
Delivery Schedule: The delivery period for the Development Contract is 30 months.
Kaveri Engine will rise from ashes & Solve India's Biggest Defence Aviation Problem? - AlphaDefense.in
If one were to ask what India’s single biggest pain point in defence aviation is, the answer would come instantly…
alphadefense.in
Few years ago, Team Alpha Defence reported that GTRE was working with an Indian manufacturing partner to explore the development of an afterburning variant of the Kaveri. The objective was ambitious but clear: determine whether the engine could eventually generate the approximately 85 kN class thrust required for the Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A.
The program received a fresh lease of life through the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) project. During this effort, the engine underwent substantial modifications and evolved into a significantly different configuration. Reports indicate that the revised engine has demonstrated approximately 50 kN of dry thrust, making it suitable for applications such as the Ghatak UCAV.
The next major milestone involves integrating an afterburner system and progressively increasing overall thrust output. The long-term target remains the 85 kN class necessary for fighter aircraft operations.
Importantly, even if the full 85 kN objective is not achieved immediately, the engine’s current trajectory remains highly significant. The modified core is believed to have already demonstrated around 73 kN of sustained thrust, with expectations that further refinements could push performance higher. The strategy appears to focus on certifying the engine through flight testing on the Tejas platform before pursuing successive upgrades and component substitutions aimed at increasing thrust and reliability. The DcPP is decided and it will be Brahmos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited (BATL). For few years it was just GTRE effort but now they have Ministry of Defence onboard.
This incremental approach differs fundamentally from earlier efforts that sought to achieve all requirements simultaneously.
Instead of waiting for a perfect engine, the plan appears to be centered on obtaining a certifiable, flyable, indigenous powerplant and then continuously improving it through successive blocks of development. Such a methodology mirrors the evolutionary path followed by several successful aero-engine programs worldwide.
The program received a fresh lease of life through the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) project. During this effort, the engine underwent substantial modifications and evolved into a significantly different configuration. Reports indicate that the revised engine has demonstrated approximately 50 kN of dry thrust, making it suitable for applications such as the Ghatak UCAV.
The next major milestone involves integrating an afterburner system and progressively increasing overall thrust output. The long-term target remains the 85 kN class necessary for fighter aircraft operations.
Importantly, even if the full 85 kN objective is not achieved immediately, the engine’s current trajectory remains highly significant. The modified core is believed to have already demonstrated around 73 kN of sustained thrust, with expectations that further refinements could push performance higher. The strategy appears to focus on certifying the engine through flight testing on the Tejas platform before pursuing successive upgrades and component substitutions aimed at increasing thrust and reliability. The DcPP is decided and it will be Brahmos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited (BATL). For few years it was just GTRE effort but now they have Ministry of Defence onboard.
This incremental approach differs fundamentally from earlier efforts that sought to achieve all requirements simultaneously.
Instead of waiting for a perfect engine, the plan appears to be centered on obtaining a certifiable, flyable, indigenous powerplant and then continuously improving it through successive blocks of development. Such a methodology mirrors the evolutionary path followed by several successful aero-engine programs worldwide.
This is best new of this year.
If GTRE get certified Kaveri @73 kn max but sustained thrust, you have an indigenous engine at your disposal.
With the availability of testing facilities (which are under construction), you can do increamental changes.
If GTRE get certified Kaveri @73 kn max but sustained thrust, you have an indigenous engine at your disposal.
With the availability of testing facilities (which are under construction), you can do increamental changes.
Is it possible to achieve the required thrust level of Kaveri for Tejas with the current core?
This is very old news and already in circulation.
This article gives lot of hope. Let us wait and hope for the best.
Indian Defence News
India’s achievement in mastering the production of single crystal turbine blades represents one of the most significant milestones in its aerospace journey.
These blades, developed through a joint program between the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory and the Gas Turbine Research Establishment, are already in advanced stages of casting trials and production.
Ready‑to‑fit blades and vanes featuring advanced electron beam physical vapour deposition thermal barrier coatings have been manufactured and delivered, underscoring India’s ability to produce components capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures inside modern jet engines.
Single crystal turbine blades are among the most technically demanding components in aero‑engine technology.
By eliminating grain boundaries, they achieve far greater resistance to thermal stress and fatigue, enabling engines to operate at higher temperatures and deliver improved efficiency and durability.
This breakthrough directly supports indigenous programs such as the Kaveri engine upgrade and the future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft powerplants, placing India firmly within the select group of nations that possess end‑to‑end mastery of this strategic technology.
The achievement is not confined to laboratory demonstrations. India has publicly displayed these components at Defence Research and Development Organisation events, signalling manufacturing readiness and operational maturity.
The blades and vanes are not only cast indigenously but also certified and coated with advanced protective layers, ensuring their suitability for integration into frontline fighter engines. Additive manufactured components have also been showcased, reflecting India’s parallel progress in advanced manufacturing techniques.
This places India alongside the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China in the elite club of nations capable of producing single crystal turbine blades. The omission of India’s achievement by Chinese state media in a report on this topic is consistent with a pattern of selective reporting, but it does not diminish the reality that India has joined this exclusive technological fraternity.
Through determined indigenous research and development under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, India has demonstrated that it can deliver one of the most complex and strategically vital aerospace technologies.
The significance of this breakthrough extends beyond technical capability. It strengthens India’s self‑reliance in defence, reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, and enhances the credibility of its aerospace ecosystem.
It also provides critical enablers for future indigenous fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and advanced propulsion systems. By mastering single crystal turbine blade technology, India has taken a decisive step towards securing its place among the world’s foremost aerospace powers.
India Joins Elite Club With Breakthrough In Single Crystal Turbine Blade Technology
India’s achievement in mastering the production of single crystal turbine blades represents one of the most significant milestones in its aerospace journey.
These blades, developed through a joint program between the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory and the Gas Turbine Research Establishment, are already in advanced stages of casting trials and production.
Ready‑to‑fit blades and vanes featuring advanced electron beam physical vapour deposition thermal barrier coatings have been manufactured and delivered, underscoring India’s ability to produce components capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures inside modern jet engines.
Single crystal turbine blades are among the most technically demanding components in aero‑engine technology.
By eliminating grain boundaries, they achieve far greater resistance to thermal stress and fatigue, enabling engines to operate at higher temperatures and deliver improved efficiency and durability.
This breakthrough directly supports indigenous programs such as the Kaveri engine upgrade and the future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft powerplants, placing India firmly within the select group of nations that possess end‑to‑end mastery of this strategic technology.
The achievement is not confined to laboratory demonstrations. India has publicly displayed these components at Defence Research and Development Organisation events, signalling manufacturing readiness and operational maturity.
The blades and vanes are not only cast indigenously but also certified and coated with advanced protective layers, ensuring their suitability for integration into frontline fighter engines. Additive manufactured components have also been showcased, reflecting India’s parallel progress in advanced manufacturing techniques.
This places India alongside the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China in the elite club of nations capable of producing single crystal turbine blades. The omission of India’s achievement by Chinese state media in a report on this topic is consistent with a pattern of selective reporting, but it does not diminish the reality that India has joined this exclusive technological fraternity.
Through determined indigenous research and development under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, India has demonstrated that it can deliver one of the most complex and strategically vital aerospace technologies.
The significance of this breakthrough extends beyond technical capability. It strengthens India’s self‑reliance in defence, reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, and enhances the credibility of its aerospace ecosystem.
It also provides critical enablers for future indigenous fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and advanced propulsion systems. By mastering single crystal turbine blade technology, India has taken a decisive step towards securing its place among the world’s foremost aerospace powers.