Self-sufficiency in defence production is a must, but at the same time one should not forget the realities of life. This was the message that came from Vice-Chief of the Air Staff P K Barbora on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Bangalore-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), an outfit that works under the aegis of the DRDO.
The GTRE was given the responsibility of developing a jet engine (Kaveri) to power the indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas. After two decades and an estimated expenditure of Rs 2000 crore, the GTRE is still struggling to complete the project.
GTRE director T M Mohan on Thursday said they would soon be heading for Russia with the engine for altitude tests and flying trials. While the GTRE has been facing a lot of flak over its inability to successfully develop the Kaveri engine, Air Marshal Barbora’s words came as music to the ears of all present at the function. The Vice-Chief, who was the chief guest at the function, said India was
caught in a situation wherein it was being forced to jump straight to the space age from a technologically primitive era.
“We have missed out on the mid-level technologies that came about in the fifties,” the Air Marshal said. “Forget about the jet engine, we have not been able to develop a proper automobile engine as yet.” He said rather than being a failure, the Kaveri engine was a success story. “Very soon we shall see IAF pilots flying jets powered by the engine,” the Air Marshal said, attracting a huge applause from the audience.
The Kaveri programme has attracted much criticism due to its ambitious objective, protracted development time, and the DRDO’s lack of clarity and openness in acknowledging problems.
The GTRE was given the responsibility of developing a jet engine (Kaveri) to power the indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas. After two decades and an estimated expenditure of Rs 2000 crore, the GTRE is still struggling to complete the project.
GTRE director T M Mohan on Thursday said they would soon be heading for Russia with the engine for altitude tests and flying trials. While the GTRE has been facing a lot of flak over its inability to successfully develop the Kaveri engine, Air Marshal Barbora’s words came as music to the ears of all present at the function. The Vice-Chief, who was the chief guest at the function, said India was
caught in a situation wherein it was being forced to jump straight to the space age from a technologically primitive era.
“We have missed out on the mid-level technologies that came about in the fifties,” the Air Marshal said. “Forget about the jet engine, we have not been able to develop a proper automobile engine as yet.” He said rather than being a failure, the Kaveri engine was a success story. “Very soon we shall see IAF pilots flying jets powered by the engine,” the Air Marshal said, attracting a huge applause from the audience.
The Kaveri programme has attracted much criticism due to its ambitious objective, protracted development time, and the DRDO’s lack of clarity and openness in acknowledging problems.
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