The program for the M88 arose from a need for a suitable propulsion system for air-superiority and ground-attack missions. In 1983, Dassault Aviation planned to produce a technology demonstrator for the Avion de Combat eXpérimental (ACX), which was expected to fly in 1986. Although the M88 was intended to be fitted to the definitive aircraft, it was not expected to be ready in time, and the ACX was therefore initially powered by the General Electric F404.
Due to the broad application of the new engine (as the aircraft was to replace considerable number of French fleet), it was necessary for the engine to have a high thrust-to-weight ratio, low fuel consumption in all flight regimes, and a long engine life. Additional considerations were afforded to good maintainability, and upgrade potential (73 kN to 105 kN using the same core). The program was officially launched in 1986. It was decided to flight test the engine, the M88-2, aboard the Dassault Breguet, and the Rafale A prototype. Indeed, after having replaced the aircraft's left F404, the engine was first flight tested aboard the Rafale A on 27 February 1990. By now, the fourteen M88-2s had accumulated 1,600 hours of running time. The demonstrator thereafter reached supersonic speed without afterburners, reached a height of 50,000 ft, endured load factors of −2g and +9g and flown at an angle of attack of 30°. Within 14 months of its flight aboard the Rafale A, the M88-2 had amassed 75 hours on 65 flights.
In 2008, it was announced that an in-production powerplant would have to be selected; this was required to be in the 95 to 100 kilonewton (kN) (21,000–23,000 lbf) range to execute combat manoeuvres with optimal weapons load. After evaluation and acceptance of technical offers for both the Eurojet EJ200 and the General Electric F414, the commercial quotes were compared in detail and GE's F414 was declared as the lowest bidder. The deal covered the purchase of 99 GE F414 engines, an initial batch will be supplied directly by GE and the remainder to be manufactured in India under a technology transfer arrangement. According to the IAF, adopting the new powerplant required a three-to-four years of redesign work.
In October 2010, General Electric F414 was selected as engine for Tejas Mk 2. The final contract for 99 aeroengines worth $822 million was signed in late 2012 or early 2013 with an option for 49 more that could be exercised later. As per the agreement, eight engines will be bought off-the-shelf, while other 91 will be built in India under transfer of technology.
The F414-GE-INS6 has dry thrust of 12,994 lbf (58 kN) and 22,000 lbf (98 kN) of wet thrust. F414-GE-INS6 features a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) system.
MWF will have increased internal fuel capacity of 3.3 tonnes, while canards create some drag, the overall aerodynamic and fuel-capacity improvements ensures a range double than that of the Tejas.
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