Eurojet Reacts To Defeat, Says Decision Means Tejas Won’t Get Best Engine [UPDATED]

Eurojet Gmbh has accepted defeat in the Tejas Mk-II engine competition. Just received this statement from the company:

“We respect the decision taken by the Price Negotiating Committee. However, we regret that the Committee has decided against the most capable & latest generation engine on offer for the LCA-Tejas. Together with our consortium partner companies and their respective governments we will carefully study the decision and its implications. We expect further details from Indian authorities and more information about the process leading to the announced selection. This decision does not affect our strong commitment to India. We will continue to explore true and trusted partnerships here which will support the development of a strong Indian aerospace and defence industry.”

[[email protected] IST] The GE F414 turbofan is understood to have been found more price competitive when several other costs were added to the fixed commercial proposals put forward by GE and Eurojet. The other costs included custom modification of the engine, ground and flight-testing and certification of the modified engine and, crucially, technology transfer elements such as jigs, assemblies etc. The deal, worth approximately $800-million, is for 99 engines, with options for 100 more. GE hasn’t reacted to the news just yet, but are likely to make a statement shortly. No official word from Boeing or Gripen, though folks at the Indian offices of both firms are appropriately delighted.

23 thoughts on “Eurojet Reacts To Defeat, Says Decision Means Tejas Won’t Get Best Engine [UPDATED]”

  1. Eurojet should have won this one…..now USA can easily armtwist us with all its imposing restrictions 🙁
    Either ways lets hope DRDO realizes what a loss it has incurred. Had Kaveri been on schedule this weren't to be the case

  2. Well it's easy to say one thing.

    But it's more difficult to build a engine for safe single-engine operations AND pass the tests of harsh Indian climate.

    GE did this. Eurojet didn't. I don't think the Tejas-program need any more risk.

    It was a GE F414 in the Gripen Demo that cleared the Leh trials.

  3. If the contract-negotiation process was not followed properly, Eurojet should sue. Many people await the details about how this selection was made.
    This, apart from the issue of even including the U.S. in this competition, given their past actions. The U.S. didn't want to help India with the Naval LCA program, but now we're going to give them the contract the LCA's engine? You've got to be kidding me.

  4. SALE , SPECIAL OFFER , WHILE STOCKS LAST, INDIA has been put on sale by the tobacco chewing babus. If u have to take observe any trend from the CWG i would say the rejection of eurojet is not a surprise.

  5. i guess the extra power in the thrust did overruled every other consideration. Lets face it, GE did makes sense considering the past experience of ADA with respect to engine integration to the frame and the sinewy GE 404 which had propelled LCA all these years, including the herculean task of operating at leh. But the important question is, can we trust yanks to honor the agreement? will the future of the fleet depends on the person siting in white house rather then in south block ? i guess its time for yanks to reciprocate the gesture with allowing India a deal which is sweet enough to dilute some if not all the past experiences. joint development of kaveri Mk II along with access to critical technologies like access to cryogenic engines could be a good start

  6. CWG, Price rise and now Ayodhya verdict(i see it as the defeat of congress) clearly indicate where the wind is blowing. Time has come to kick out this corrupt congress regime.

  7. This decision is a disaster. Europe which has been more pliant in helping India develop some sort of indigenous defense capability (Shakti engine, Naval LCA, EAD center in Bangalore, DCNS collaboration) and tries to maintain an independent identity, will be rightly agrieved. As usual, we dont learn from past mistakes (Glavkosmos, Naval LCA) and go the Uncle Sam way. What a pity and a disaster. God help us.

  8. Kick those corrupt babus, now we enslave ourSELF AGAIN BT THIS TIME its AMERICAN RAJ..Ej200 is best modern engine with no string attach to them.. They also providing us the Tot and THRUST VECTOR TECH WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED TO INCREASE THE AOA OF TEJAS ND SHORT TAKE OFF TOO.. Ej200 got full AUTO REIGNITER INCASE THE ENGINE STOPS MIDAIR.. No to forget Ej200 STILL LEFT 35 TO 50% THRUST AND ENHANCEMENT POTENTIAL whereas GE414 LEFT NUFING BT MITE BE 10% OR LESS POTENTIAL.. Again THRUST WEIGHT RATIO WISE EJ200 WINS HANDS DOWN WITH 9TOW… Hell with babudom atlast.

  9. The timing of this announcement is curious–the same day as the Babri Masjid ruling. Does the UPA government hope that this announcement is buried in the news cycle? Perhaps.
    I hope some MP's will do their duty and demand a full investigation. So, 150++ of our front-line fighters will be vulnerable to sanctions by a country which has a history of anti-Indian policies. May God help us.

  10. If GE-414 is selected for Tejas-mk2, then F-18 may have to be unwillingly obtained in dowry for the 126 MMRCA. All these series may become redundant in wars against Paki and also against Sino due to the recommendations by Paki.

    There is no other borderline nation which is inimical towards India, so these fighters will be good enough for parades and statistics and India will have to procure many of Su-35s for defense against SinoPaki.

    Sam must be laughing with twisted lips like Monalisa.

    I never thought that tiny Mig-21 will lead us to this impasse.

  11. Common people dont get panic, its you who made congress coming into power. Everyone who made a vote for this party is responsibe for this decision.

    Now lets face the consequences.

    Its hopeless.. In other words Indian Air Force will seek permissions from US before attacking terrorist camps. THat foreigner has sold AirForce. This sucks.

  12. Guys, be prepared for more shocking results from MMRCA, F/18 the oldest 4th gen AC is goin to win the race. How? just one simple decesion, make 70% people happy by giving them Ayodhya then who cares about these kind of decisions.

    Congressy have now secured their position for another 15 years, and in the next couple of decades we will witness Russia becoming close ally of Porkis and we will be having a very true friend, named US. Who think we are an Elephant they are the Mahout.

  13. Sunny@6: 29 pm.

    If your are the Sunny handling Ej's India communication, then please stay out of this debate. Because, you are paid for the jobs you are supposed to do and please don't get on to a Livefist talk. If you are not the Sunny from EJ, then sorry dear and we shall catch up for a beer.

  14. This news at the end of Def Min Antony's US trip casts a lot of doubts.

    I think, his visit influenced this decision. Antony may most likely have informed the US admin that India decided on Euro engine. But Hillary, Obama and Co then would have offered something "sweeter", which will end up in bitter. Idiotic Manmohan Govt!

    Shiv, I read a news in a Chinese Military Blog that says India invited Chinese company to make roads in India-China Border area. Could you confirm this? What a way (foolish) to soften China? Do the Congress Govt Ministers have balls? Or are their balls in their heads? When I read the news the first thing came to my mind "What the Fu&*." This is similar to giving the bank locker number to a thief.

    Ravi

  15. I am not at all shocked,by this sudden twist in the deal. Call it, 800+ years of slavery, we have a habit of impressing our masters, who have cheated us always. US has always cheated India, but we still, offer them with goodies, hoping to bring them over to our side.

  16. I think this is a good decision. Either way it would have been a foreign engine. The eu and USA always have both roughly the same degree of risk. However USA puts more into research and i expect that the engine will continue to improve. One can reasonably expect the next order for 100 will have more power etc…

  17. [email protected] pm.

    no sir, i m not the elusive Mr Sunny handling Ej's India communication. I am just a regular Lurker at LiveFist who decided to post a comment with my name for the first time rather then the neutral and obscure "Anonymous".
    and about that beer, maybe someday……. 🙂

  18. Hey guys.. its great that F414 is selected.. Better price – proven engine – Leh Trials.. Gripen uses it.. so proved for single engine operations.. Better thrust to weight ratio..
    Moreover US is now keen to take a pie in Indian defence market.

  19. Wih this there is no need to speculate who will win the MRCA deal its gotta be f16 or fa 18 . The babus will bring some excuse to squeeze these major junkies through.

  20. i suggests onething

    Change the name of INDIA to

    ' ROYAL KINGDOM OF NEHRU & GANDHI DYNASTY '

    CORRUPT , DAAGI MINISTERS IN CETRAL GOVT. AND NOW RAHUL0GANDHI WILL BE THE NEXT P.M. FOR CONGRESS , SO THIS IS A GANDHI DYNASTY RULING INDIA

    DON'T CALL INDIA A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY ANYMORE

  21. Somehow I fee this is just a cherry thrown in the direction of the Americans in preparation for the cake which will be handed over to the Europeans. The resultant scenario will be logistical nightmare but will at least give us access to the best engine tech from across the world.

  22. Well, there goes the dreams of ToT for SC blades, thrust vectoring and a partnership in the Eurojet program. I feel the same a Eurojet. The best engine was passed over in favour of pro-US politics. I wonder how many 'gifts' our so called 'Mr.Clean' Antony picked up on his US visit.

Leave a Reply to Immortalanil Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Scroll to Top