General Electric has announced that it has been awarded a US $105 million contract for producing engines for India's Light Combat Aircraft christened Tejas.

The engineering development contract was given by India's Aeronautical Development Agency, the company announced from Lynn, Massachusetts.

The development contract calls for GE Aircraft Engines (GEAE) to provide 17 F-40 4-GE-IN20 engines, as well as logistics support.

First engine delivery is scheduled for 2006, it said. The limited series production of Tejas will begin in 2005. There is a potential for 250 Tejas fighters for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

The flight testing of the Tejas prototypes with an F404-GE-F2J3 engine began in 2001. To date three prototypes have completed more than 150 test flights, including supersonic lights.

In all, seven prototype LCAs are scheduled to fly with 404-GE-F2J3 engines. The F404-GE-IN20 engine for the limited series production aircraft will be a variant of the F404-GE-402, modified to power the single-engine LCA.

The engine will greatly benefit from its commonality with the more than 3700 F404 engines in service worldwide.