Gas Turbine Research Establishment

Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is a laboratory of the

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in
Bangalore, its primary function is research and development of aero
gas-turbines for military aircraft. As a spin-off effect, GTRE has been
developing marine gas-turbines also.

Products

Principal achievements of Gas Turbine Research Establishment include:

• Design and development of India's "first centrifugal type 10kN

thrust engine" between 1959-61.
• 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.

GTX Kaveri

GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine is intended to power production models of

LCA Tejas.[1]

GTRE failed to come up with successful engine ( in terms of required

thrust) for the HF-Marut fighter aircraft.

In its defence the GTRE has mentioned that the reasons for delay as :
Non availability of state of the art wind tunnel facility in india The
technology restrictions imposed by US by placing it in "entities" list

Now both these hurdles have been cleared and GTRE is planning to
work on the AMCA (future generation fighter craft).
Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine (KMGT)

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.[2]

The involvement of Indian Navy in the development and testing of the

engine has given a tremendous boost to the program.

Testing

The KMGT was tested on the Marine Gas Turbine test bed, an Indian
Navy facility at Vishakhapatnam.[3]

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. [4]

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) works under

Department of Defence Research and Development of Ministry of
Defence. DRDO dedicatedly working towards enhancing self-reliance in
Defence Systems and undertakes design & development leading to
production of world class weapon systems and equipment in
accordance with the expressed needs and the qualitative requirements
laid down by the three services. DRDO is working in various areas of
military technology which include aeronautics, armaments, combat
vehicles, electronics, instrumentation engineering systems, missiles,
materials, naval systems, advanced computing, simulation and life
sciences. DRDO while striving to meet the Cutting edge weapons
technology provides ample spinoff benefits to the society at large
thereby contributing to the nation buliding.