A long-awaited RFP to select new engines for the IAF’s fleet of Jaguar deep penetration/maritime strike aircraft will be out shortly according to top government sources. Over the last couple of years since the IAF articulated its intention to replace the current Rolls-Royce-Turbomeca Mk811 powerplants (for enhanced thrust across the Jaguar’s operational envelope), the two contending firms — Honeywell (F125IN) and Rolls-Royce-Turbomeca (Adour Mk821)– have campaigned bitterly against each other. This is a deal worth over $650-million. A detailed post on both engines soon.
Photo Courtesy Indian Air Force
Hmm.. I can't fathom why the MoD is willing to spend this much for merely buying new engines for old aircraft given some of their past penny-pinching antics. But it's a good thing, even if there's no urgent need for the Jaguars to have new engines.
What is far more important and should have been implemented years ago is the re-engining of the surviving MiG fleet. Engine failure has been one of the most common causes of MiG-21/23/27 crashes, but even then proposals to re-engine the MiG-27s with new-build engines were considered and abandoned twice. The Russians successfully tested the infamous MiG-21 with the RD-33 engines currently manufactured by HAL for the MiG-29 upgrade. If those had been adopted many good pilots would still be flying today that died in crashes.
Good point Gautam!