RuAviation

The United Engine Corporation (UEC) plans to expand its cooperation with the Indian corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the field of aircraft engine production. This was reported by UEC’s press service from Bangalore.

“We have already delivered 18 AL-55E engines to HAL for the certification testing of the new HJT-36 training aircraft, which are being developed by the Indian side. Their successful completion will open up opportunities for organising licensed production of the AL-55E directly at HAL facilities, which will meet the needs of the Indian Air Force for modern training aircraft,” said a UEC representative during the Aero India 2025 airshow.

According to Mikhail Remizov, Deputy Director General for Strategy and Programme Project Management at UEC, the AL-55E engine has demonstrated its reliability and ease of operation during the test flights. “For single-engine aircraft, where pilots will undergo training, safety and ease of handling are crucial requirements,” he added.

Mikhail Remizov noted that as part of the joint programme with HAL, the AL-55E engine has confirmed its maintenance cycle resource during test bench trials in accordance with the technical specifications. In the next phase, UEC proposes to organise licensed production of AL-55E engines at HAL’s facilities.

The AL-55E engine, developed by UEC-Saturn, is a dual-circuit turbojet engine specifically adapted for the single-engine Indian training aircraft HJT-36, named “Yashas.” A key feature of this engine is its modern dual-channel digital control system, which ensures a high level of flight safety and optimal performance characteristics of the power plant.

The modular design of the engine simplifies maintenance and allows for repairs without removing the engine from the aircraft, thereby reducing operational costs.

During efforts to enhance the AL-55E, UEC engineers were able to significantly increase the engine’s resource, extending it to 1200 hours. Over several phases of testing, the resource was gradually increased from the initial 100 hours to 300, 600, 900, and finally to 1200 hours. AL-55E engines successfully completed an extensive testing programme, encompassing over 5000 hours of stand tests and 4500 cycles of equivalent cyclic tests.

The tests also included assessments of the engine’s performance under foreign object ingestion (birds, hail) and numerous special checks to confirm calculated parameters. The reliable operation of the power plant has also been confirmed under various weather conditions, which is a significant factor for ensuring flight safety in diverse climatic zones. The engine has a thrust rating at maximum mode of 1760 kgf, providing excellent flight characteristics for the Indian training aircraft.