Former name | Gas Turbine Research Centre (GTRC) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
Field of research | Aerogas turbine technology |
| Director | Shri. Dr. S V Ramana Murthy |
| Location | Bengaluru,Karnataka, India |
Operating agency | Defence Research and Development Organisation |
| Website | GTRE |
Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is a laboratory of theDefence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located inBengaluru, its primary function is research and development of aero gas-turbines formilitary aircraft. As a spin-off effect, GTRE has been developing marine gas-turbines also.
It was initially known as GTRC (Gas Turbine Research Centre), created in 1959 in No.4 BRD Air Force Station,Kanpur,Uttar Pradesh. In November 1961 it was brought under DRDO, renamed toGTRE and moved to Bengaluru,Karnataka.[1] GTRE has consistently faced criticism for failing to develop an indigenousjet engine forfighter aircraft.[2]
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Principal achievements of Gas Turbine Research Establishment include:
GTX-35VS Kaveri engine was intended to power production models ofHAL Tejas.[4]
Defending the program GTRE mentioned reasons for delay including:
Both hurdles having been cleared, GTRE intended to continue work on theAMCA (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.[5]
The involvement ofIndian 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).[6] 12MW of shaft power has been demonstrated by the Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine at theNaval Dockyard inVisakhapatnam.[7]
The engine forDRDO Ghatak will be a 52-kilonewton dry variant of the Kaveri aerospace engine and will be used in the UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles). TheGovernment of India has cleared a funding of₹2,650crores ($394 Million) for the project.[8]
Small Turbofan Engine (STFE), also known as Manik engine is a 4.5 kN thrust turbofan engine developed by GTRE to powerNirbhay seriescruise missile and under development UAVs, Long range Anti-ship and Land Attack cruise missile systems.[9] In October 2022, STFE was successfully flight tested.[10]
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.[11]
In April 2024, the DRDO designedIndigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM), which incorporates the Manik engine, was successfully tested.[12] 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."[13]
The current STFE production plant is located nearThiruvananthapuram International Airport inKerala for Limited Series Production for testing purpose ofNirbhay cruise missile.[14]
The KMGT was tested on the Marine Gas Turbine test bed, anIndian Navy facility atVishakhapatnam.[15] 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 theRajput class destroyers.[16]
TheMinistry of Defence (MoD) has awardedAzad 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.[17] 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.[18]
In 2024, discussions began betweenSafran, a French defence and aerospace company, and DRDO'sAeronautical Development Agency and GTRE for futuretechnology transfer and manufacturing ofjet engines for India's5th generationAdvanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.[19]
For theCombat 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 throughinvestment casting –hot isostatic pressing technology. In cooperation with GTRE, a prototype of the Engine Bevel Pinion Housing has already been developed.[20][21]
GTRE has been frequently criticised for its failure to develop an indigenousjet engine forfighter aircraft, a project the laboratory has been working on since 1982.[22] As of 2023, GTRE has not been able to overcome its engine development issues regardingmetallurgy forturbine blades and other engine blade technologies, lack of aflying testbed and wind tunnel to validate engines above a 90 Kilo Newton (KN) thrust.[2]
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12°58′44″N77°35′30″E / 12.97889°N 77.59167°E /12.97889; 77.59167
