Gas Turbine Research Establishment#Manik Engine

{{More citations needed section|date=September 2018}}

Principal achievements of Gas Turbine Research Establishment include:

• Design and development of India's "first centrifugal type 10 kN thrust engine" between 1959-61.{{Cite web |date=16 November 2021 |title=Gas Turbine Research Establishment |url=https://www.nti.org/education-center/facilities/gas-turbine-research-establishment/ |access-date=10 January 2024 |website=Nuclear Threat Initiative |publisher=James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies}}
• Design and development of a "1700K reheat system" for the Orpheus 703 engine to boost its power. The redesigned system was certified in 1973.
• Successful upgrade of the reheat system of the Orpheus 703 to 2000K.
• Improvement of the Orpheus 703 engine by replacing "the front subsonic compressor stage" with a "transonic compressor stage" to increase the "basic dry thrust" of the engine.
• Design and development of a "demonstrator" gas turbine engine—GTX 37-14U—for fighter aircraft. Performance trials commenced in 1977 and the "demonstrator phase" was completed in 1981. The GTX 37-14U was "configured" and "optimized" to build a "low by-pass ratio jet engine" for "multirole performance aircraft". This engine was dubbed GTX 37-14U B.

{{main|GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri}}

GTX-35VS Kaveri engine was intended to power production models of HAL Tejas.Gunston, Bill (Ed.) (15 June 2006). "GTRE Kaveri" in Jane’s Aero-Engines, Issue 14. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group Limited. {{ISBN|0-7106-1405-5}}.

Defending the program GTRE mentioned reasons for delay including:

• Non availability of state of the art wind tunnel facility in India
• The technology restrictions imposed by US by placing it in "entities" list

Both hurdles having been cleared, GTRE intended to continue work on the AMCA (future generation fighter craft).

This program was abandoned in 2014.

Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine is a design spin-off from the Kaveri engine, designed for Indian combat aircraft. Using the core of the Kaveri engine, GTRE added low-pressure compressor and turbine as a gas generator and designed a free power turbine to generate shaft power for maritime applications.{{cite web |url=http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20080717034427 |title=DRDO develops marine gas turbine engine for Indian Navy |publisher=Newindpress.com |access-date=2012-01-28 }}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The involvement of Indian Navy in the development and testing of the engine has given a tremendous boost to the programme. The base frame for KMGT was developed by private sector company, Larsen & Toubro (L&T).{{Cite web |last= |title=India speeds up work on local marine gas turbine production - ET EnergyWorld |url=https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/india-speeds-up-work-on-local-marine-gas-turbine-production/103591899 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=ETEnergyworld.com |language=en}}

The engine for DRDO Ghatak will be a 52-kilonewton dry variant of the Kaveri aerospace engine and will be used in the UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles). The Government of India has cleared a funding of ₹2,650 crores ($394 Million) for the project.{{Cite web|url=http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2015/12/14/project-ghatak-india-to-make-indigenous-stealth-combat-drones/|title=Project Ghatak: India to make indigenous stealth combat drones|last=Bazaar|first=The American|date=2015-12-14|website=The American Bazaar|access-date=2016-07-08}}

Small Turbofan Engine (STFE), also known as Manik engine is a 4.5 kN thrust turbofan engine developed by GTRE to power Nirbhay series cruise missile and under development UAVs, Long range Anti-ship and Land Attack cruise missile systems.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/04/16/nirbhay-cruise-missile-to-be-tested-desi-engine-future.html|title=Nirbhay cruise missile to be tested with 'desi' engine in future|date=16 April 2019|work=The Week|access-date=26 August 2019}} In October 2022, STFE was successfully flight tested.{{cite web |title=Annual Report 2022-23 |url=https://mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/DEFENCE%20AR%202022-23%20LOW.pdf |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=Ministry of Defence |publisher=Government of India}}

DRDO is currently on search for a private production partner to mass produce Manik engine. It is estimated that 300 units will be produced over the course of five years. This amount could be allocated to the GTRE-identified industries. An Expression of Interest (EOI) will first identify two industries to supply three engines each over the course of eighteen months. After that, an RFI for mass production quantities will be issued.{{cite twitter |number=1723308243554824596 |user=Defencematrix1 |title=Mass Production of STFE (Manik)! DRDO's GTRE has issued an Expression of Interest for the selection of Indian Industry Partners for the production of STFE expendable engine. |date=2023-11-11 |access-date=2024-07-20}}

In April 2024, the DRDO designed Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM), which incorporates the Manik engine, was successfully tested.{{Cite web |last=Rout |first=Hemant Kumar |date=2024-04-19 |title=ITCM flight-tested, India achieves success in indigenous cruise systems |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2024/Apr/19/itcm-flight-tested-india-achieves-success-in-indigenous-cruise-systems |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} In July 2024, ABI Showatech India Pvt Ltd was awarded the contract to supply Casting Vane Low-Pressure Turbine (LPNGV) subcomponent of the engine as a part of the cruise missile programme. The low pressure turbine is "responsible for extracting energy from the exhaust gases to drive the fan and other compressor stages."{{Cite web |last=alphadefense.in |date=2024-07-15 |title=Fortifying the Future: Strengthening the Supply Chain of India's Indigenous STFE |url=https://alphadefense.in/index.php/2024/07/15/fortifying-the-future-strengthening-the-supply-chain-of-indias-indigenous-stfe/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=alphadefense.in |language=en-US}}

The current STFE production plant is located near Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for Limited Series Production for testing purpose of Nirbhay cruise missile.{{Cite news |date=2024-10-29 |title=Land proposed in Nettukaltheri to relocate BrahMos Aerospace |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/nettukaltheri-land-proposed-for-relocating-brahmos-aerospace-to-facilitate-thiruvananthapuram-airport-expansion/articleshow/114743583.cms |access-date=2024-11-01 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}

The KMGT was tested on the Marine Gas Turbine test bed, an Indian Navy facility at Vishakhapatnam.{{cite web |url=http://frontierindia.net/demonstration-of-12-mw-kaveri-marine-gas-turbine-for-indian-navy |title=Demonstration of 12 MW Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine for Indian Navy | Frontier India - News, Analysis, Opinion |publisher=Frontier India |date=2008-07-17 |access-date=2012-01-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318203428/http://frontierindia.net/demonstration-of-12-mw-kaveri-marine-gas-turbine-for-indian-navy |archive-date=2012-03-18 }} The engine has been tested to its potential of 12 MW at ISA SL 35 °C condition, a requirement of the Navy to propel SNF class ships, such as the Rajput class destroyers.{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=40470 |title=Modified Kaveri Engine to Propel Indian Navy Ships |publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India |date=17 July 2008 | first=Sitanshu | last=Kar |access-date=12 January 2019}}

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Azad Engineering Limited a contract to serve as a production agency for engines designed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment. Assembling and manufacturing what is known as an Advanced Turbo Gas Generator (ATGG) engine is the focus of the present long-term contract. This is meant to power various defense applications, such as the gas turbine engine that powers the Indian Army's fleet of infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) and tanks, the marine gas turbine engine (MGTE) for upcoming Indian Navy warships, and the GTX-35VS Kaveri turbofan engine for the Tejas fighter. By early 2026, Azad must begin delivering its first batch of fully integrated engines.{{Cite news |last=Shukla |first=Ajai |date=23 May 2024 |title=Azad Engineering to build fully integrated advanced turbo engine for DRDO |url=https://www.business-standard.com/external-affairs-defence-security/news/azad-engineering-to-build-fully-integrated-advanced-turbo-engine-for-drdo-124052301483_1.html |access-date=1 September 2024 |work=Business Standard}} Using components including a 4-stage axial flow compressor, an annular combustor, a single-stage axial flow uncooled turbine, and a fixed exit area nozzle, the engine is built using a single-spool turbojet configuration. Azad Engineering will be essential to GTRE as a single source industry partner.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-05-23 |title=Azad Engineering bags contract for advanced turbo gas generator engine from DRDO lab GTRE |url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/azad-engineering-bags-contract-for-advanced-turbo-gas-generator-engine-from-drdo-lab-gtre/article68208249.ece |access-date=2024-09-01 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}

In 2024, discussions began between Safran, a French defence and aerospace company, and DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency and GTRE for future technology transfer and manufacturing of jet engines for India's 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.{{Cite news |last=Peri |first=Dinakar |date=2024-01-26 |title=Jet engine deal with France will give 100% access to technology, says Indian envoy |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jet-engine-deal-with-france-will-give-100-access-to-technology-says-indian-envoy/article67780629.ece |access-date=2024-11-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}

For the Combat Aircraft Engine Development Program, PTC Industries Limited, a titanium recycling and aerospace component forging company has taken up a developmental contract for essential components on 6 December 2022. GTRE is expanding PTC Industries' capacity to produce vital titanium alloy aero engine and aircraft parts through investment casting – hot isostatic pressing technology. In cooperation with GTRE, a prototype of the Engine Bevel Pinion Housing has already been developed.{{cite news |title=PTCIL to develop critical components for DRDO-GTRE's Combat Aircraft Engine development program |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-cm/ptcil-to-develop-critical-components-for-drdo-gtre-s-combat-aircraft-engine-development-program-122120600438_1.html |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=Business Standard |date=6 December 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Agarwal |first1=Smita |title=PTC Industries Limited committed towards supply of Critical Components for GTRE-DRDO’s Aero Engines |url=https://www.ptcil.com/PDF/Investors/press-releases/ptc-industries-limited-committed-towards-supply-of-critical-components-for-gtre-drdos-aero-engines.pdf |website=PTC Industries |publisher=Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Centre |access-date=16 September 2024}}

GTRE has been frequently criticised for its failure to develop an indigenous jet engine for fighter aircraft, a project the laboratory has been working on since 1982.{{Cite web |last=Philip |first=Snehesh Alex |date=2022-06-09 |title=Why likely €1 bn French deal is a reminder of India’s failure to build indigenous jet engine |url=https://theprint.in/defence/why-likely-e1-bn-french-deal-is-a-reminder-of-indias-failure-to-build-indigenous-jet-engine/988571/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}} As of 2023, GTRE has not been able to overcome its engine development issues regarding metallurgy for turbine blades and other engine blade technologies, lack of a flying testbed and wind tunnel to validate engines above a 90 Kilo Newton (KN) thrust.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|GTRE aircraft engines}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071210070622/http://www.drdo.org/labs/aero/index.shtml DIRECTORATE OF AERONAUTICS]}}
• [http://members.tripod.com/aradhyakss_hp/gtre.html Gas Turbine Research Establishment]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204153313/http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/India/Missile/1769_1938.html Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE)]

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