Military aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. need not fear about order flow beyond 2020–21 as its world-class facilities will not be allowed to idle, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre reassured the government-owned defence enterprise on Saturday.
He was addressing a public private partnership summit held at HAL Nashik.
A few months ago, HAL chairman and managing director T. Suvarna Raju had said “HAL has nothing else left” to make in fixed-wing aircraft after the Nashik unit delivers the Sukhoi-30MKI fighter planes in the next three years. Dr. Bhamre sought to dispel the worry. HAL’s top-class facilities were of national importance and cannot be allowed to be idle, he said.
“Given the [recent] successful integration of BrahMos on Su-30MKI, 40 more aircraft will undergo such integration. HAL can shift a part of its LCA [production] to Nashik. There is a possibility of work related to the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft happening at Nashik,” he said.
Through the PPP route, he said HAL would help to reduce the gap in the Indian Air Force’s squadron strength.
ALH by private sector
Mr. Suvarna Raju said HAL plans to outsource the production of its flagship product, the Advanced Light Helicopter, by transferring technology to a few chosen private sector companies.
A request for information or RFI would be issued soon to select an Indian private sector agency.
Udayanth Malhoutra, CEO and MD of Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies Ltd. symbolically handed over the 100th ship set of Su-30MKI assemblies to HAL.
