Bengaluru, Sept. 12 -- The supply of F404-IN20 engines for the new light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1A) by US firm GE Aerospace appears to be stabilising, and if the momentum sustains, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will be able to meet its delivery targets to boost the air force's combat effectiveness, senior officials said on Thursday. The third of 99 F404-IN20 engines ordered by HAL from the US reached its LCA Mk-1A production facility in Bengaluru on Thursday, with the fourth expected to arrive by September-end followed by six more during October-December, allowing the state-run aircraft maker to deliver 10 Mk-1As in the financial year 2025-26, the officials said. The development comes at a time when backchannel talks continue between the US and India to get bilateral relations back on track after a trade row. The LCA Mk-1A programme, crucial for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to shore up its fleet, is running behind schedule due to several reasons, including delay in the supply of engines by the US. These engines are meant for the 83 Mk-1As ordered by the government for Rs.48,000 crore in February 2021. As three LCA Mk-1As are ready with the engines supplied thus far, HAL is targeting first deliveries of the fighter aircraft to the IAF in October after carrying out crucial weapon tests over the next few weeks, said one of the officials....