BENGALURU: Tests of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) powered by Kaveri engines will be held in the next 18 months, said Dr C P Ramanarayanan, Director General of Aeronautical Systems, Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO), here on Sunday.
Apart from military use, the Indian Railways has also evinced interest in using it to power trains. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd is the partner, he said.
Deadline for testing of Kaveri engines has been delayed several times in the past, after the development work started in 1986.
On the expenses incurred, he said Rs 2,100 crore has been spent on the project till date. The total cost of
developing the engine, which is expected to power Tejas LCA, will increase by another `500-600 crore by 2018, Ramanarayanan added.
On the Ghatak engine, a dry variant of Kaveri, Dr S Christopher, Chairman, DRDO said the file pertaining to the project is with the Ministry of Defence. In-principle clearance to go ahead with the development of the engine has not come yet, he added.