Rolls Royce Ready To Partner With DRDO To Build AMCA Engines.
British firm Rolls-Royce has said it is willing to work with India to develop and manufacture engines for the country’s fifth-generation fighter jet program, called AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft).
In an interview, Kishore Jayaraman, president of Rolls-Royce India and South Asia, also said that the country will own the intellectual property (IP) rights to the engines if there is a partnership.
“Rolls-Royce believes that we can be a capable partner to build an engine in India for AMCA. That is the area of the future. Co-create, co-develop and co-manufacture. It is in line with the indigenous design and manufacturing initiative that India wants and the way, ”said Jayaraman.
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In addition, he noted that joint efforts to manufacture the next set of engines for future Indian aircraft will help develop an aerospace ecosystem in the country.
“(Our) interest is in the concept of co-creation. Because at the end of the day, when we co-create, we are generating IP and the IP is generated locally. When a product is designed in India, it is manufactured in India, you create your supply chain and create the concept of services. It creates a whole new ecosystem in the Indian aerospace sector, ”he said.
Jayaraman added that Rolls-Royce believes that it can create and manufacture the right engine together with the relevant agencies in India.
Currently, the company powers the Indian Air Force Jaguar deep penetration aircraft, the Hawk trainers and the C-130 J Super Hercules.
Competition between Rolls-Royce and Safran.
India is in talks with Rolls-Royce; The French company Safran, which powers the Rafale fighter; and the US firm GE, which powers the “Tejas” light combat aircraft, for a possible collaboration to manufacture a joint combat engine in India.
According to sources in the defense system, the main competition is between Safran and Rolls-Royce. And India will look at the key cost area along with the finer details of each company’s offering in terms of technology transfer, to make a decision.
However, Jayaraman said Rolls-Royce had “a lot of conversations” with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and other agencies, and “there have been very promising and fruitful conversations.”
‘Hybrid Is The Way Forward’
Rolls-Royce also wants to incorporate hybrid engines for marine systems to power the next generation of Navy vessels.
According to Jayaram, the future is hybrid. “The future will be hybrid and totally electric. And to enter that world, Rolls-Royce is also looking for hybrid propulsion for very large aircraft carriers in the naval fleet, and we can do what it takes by partnering with all relevant partners and bringing it to India, “he said.
The top Rolls-Royce executive noted that it will not be all diesel or natural gas in the future, and also spoke about the environmental impact of such engines.
“(The future) will be hybrid, because it will generate efficiency in terms of energy requirements and in terms of the environment. And Rolls-Royce firmly believes that the environment matters.
That’s why we will bring hybrid propulsion. We are working very seriously on that, ”he said.