Aerospace experts have highlighted the complexity of replacing the General Electric F404-IN20 engine powering India’s Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft. According to former HAL engineers, integrating an alternative engine such as the Safran M88 or an operational version of the indigenous Kaveri would require extensive modifications across multiple aircraft systems. Changes would affect air intake geometry, engine mounts, flight-control software, fuel systems, cooling mechanisms, and rear fuselage structures. Such a redesign would also necessitate comprehensive testing, including aerodynamic evaluations, structural assessments, ground trials, and hundreds of flight-test hours. The entire process could take five to seven years before achieving operational certification. Experts note that while alternative engines may offer long-term strategic benefits, integrating them into an airframe optimized around the F404 would effectively create a substantially new aircraft variant.
