TURBO
An aerospace update from GE in India
Edition - 6
Air India selects GE Aerospace to power record aircraft order
Watch Tata Group Chairman, N. Chandrasekaran, speaking about the Tata – GE relationship of many decades and the strategic importance of the latest announcement.
Air India, part of Tata Sons, has signed a firm order for 40 GEnx-1B and 20 GE9X engines, plus a multi-year TrueChoice™ engine services agreement. The deal was signed in coordination with the airline’s firm order for 20 Boeing 787 and 10 Boeing 777X aircraft.
“All of us at Tata Group and Air India are delighted to have this partnership with GE Aerospace, where we will build Air India to be a world-class airline and one of the most technology-advanced airlines,” says N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India.
Air India also announced a CFM order for more than 800 LEAP engines, the largest LEAP order ever, to power its entire narrowbody purchase of 210 Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft and 190 Boeing 737 MAX-family aircraft.
“We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Tata Group and Air India. We look forward to working together to introduce these engines into Air India’s fleet and are committed to ensuring they deliver exceptional performance,” says H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GE and CEO of GE Aerospace.
The record-breaking purchase — it’s the biggest ever for an Indian airline and ranks close to the top worldwide in both value and volume — signals the recovery of commercial aviation after years of COVID shutdowns.
GE Aerospace has been operating in India for over four decades with wide engagement in the industry, including engines, avionics, services, engineering, manufacturing, and local sourcing.
GE’s continued collaboration with ADA & HAL to develop India’s indigenous fighter programs
Over the last four decades, GE has been working to fulfill India’s needs for indigenous fighters. GE’s collaboration with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics has helped develop the India-specific variant of F404, the IN20, that powers the current fleet of Indian Airforce’s Light Combat Aircraft Mk1 and Mk1A.
Working with ADA, the Indian military’s research arm for aircraft development, GE has developed a high-thrust variant of the F404 engine, the IN20, to power the Indian Air Force’s current fleet of supersonic fighters. GE has supplied more than 60 F404 engines for the Tejas, with 99 IN20s on order. In addition, GE T700 turboshaft engines power attack helicopters across the Indian military made by Boeing and Sikorsky.
Discussing the partnership with GE, Girish S. Deodhare, director general of the ADA, says, “It’s been a mutually rich learning and rewarding experience collaborating with GE over the last 40 years. They have been able to clearly understand India’s needs for indigenous fighter programs.”
GE is committed to India’s endeavour to Make in India. Youngje Kim, GE’s Military Sales Leader for Indo Pacific Region says, “We’ve been making stuff in India for decades. And not only for India; we’ve been buying from Indian manufacturers and selling internationally.”
Here’s a summary of all the exciting news from Aero India 2023
The recently concluded Aero India 2023, attended by officials and executives from 98 different countries, was a showcase for India’s growing aerospace sector. It was also a showcase for a nearly 40-year partnership between GE and India’s commercial and military aviation sectors.
At the trade show, GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed an MoU to explore the expansion of HAL's manufacturing capabilities to include assembly, inspection, and testing of the LM500 marine gas turbine.
“GE has been our valued partner for more than three decades working together, supporting Indian Navy fleets including India’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier by delivering LM2500 Gas Turbines. We are happy to see that the partnership is now at the inflection point of growth, with LM500 Gas Turbine in the 4MW category. Further, HAL and GE are working to enhance the indigenous content in both the LM2500 and LM500 projects in line with the Government’s policy of ‘Make in India’ and “Atmanirbhar Bharat’,” says Ananthakrishnan C B, CMD HAL.
Further, the LM2500 gas turbine powering the Indian Navy’s IAC-1 Vikrant aircraft carrier is set to get a digital twin. GE’s SmartSignal solution will provide the Navy with early indications of equipment conditions that can help the Navy be more effective while reducing operational risk. With GE’s proprietary predictive analytics technology that is built into the shore-based “digital twin” of the Vikrant’s gas turbine engine, the Navy will be able to move toward a truly predictive mode of operation.
Steve Rogers, Director of Marketing and Business Development, GE Marine, shares, “GE Marine gas turbines are commonly associated with operational excellence and best-in-class reliability. With this innovative digital solution offering, which is being managed by our subsidiary GE India Industrial Pvt Ltd (“GEIIPL”), GE continues to demonstrate its advanced technologies and commitment to technology programs in India.”
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