DRDO plans to develop Two jet engines
IUCAV-UHF20 engine under development for the Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in the next phase will conduct a study on core enhancement of the same engine once it begins testing phase in the next 3 years said informed sources close to idrw.org.
In the first phase, IUCAV-UHF20 engine which is a non-afterburning engine with 52 KN thrust class will be developed for Ghatak UCAV program and in the second phase, an afterburning version will be developed with 85-90 kN thrust class so that it can be offered to replace F404-GE-IN20 engines at a later stage in Tejas Mk1A fleet.
India’s 5th generation AMCA fighter jet program requires an engine which has Dry thrust of around 60-65 kN and wet thrust of 110 kN for which core enhancement of IUCAV-UHF20 engine will not be sufficient but if DRDO can demonstrate IUCAV-UHF20 engine and its afterburning version successfully then it will be cleared to develop a new engine for AMCA Mk2 which will enter production in 2035 which is still 15 years away from now.
IUCAV-UHF20 engine can also be used for HAL’s SPORT Trainer jet based on Tejas Mk1 Trainer and also in the upcoming wingman concept which DRDO plans to offer to IAF soon.
