National

HAL to benefit from Indian Airlines' plan

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, DEC. 18. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) here is likely to bag a substantial "offset" business from the Airbus Industrie which has struck a deal to sell 43 aircraft to the Indian Airlines. "A substantial offset is expected for HAL," said the new chairman of the company, Ashok K. Baweja, at his maiden press conference here.

The Public Investment Board has cleared the purchase of 43 Airbus A-319, A-320 and A-321 aircraft, a deal worth Rs. 9,475 crores. "We are looking at supply of aircraft components and systems to be exported from HAL and this will benefit private industry substantially," Mr. Baweja said.

He said the company has already received a "very large order" from Airbus for supply of 1,000 units of forward passenger doors. The export deal is worth Rs. 380 crores.

On HAL's growth potential, Mr. Baweja said the company currently had a book order of over Rs. 18,000 crores, which included production of the Sukhoi 30-MKI combat aircraft, the Hawk advanced jet trainer, the light combat aircraft Tejas, the advanced light helicopter Dhruv and a Rs. 2,000-crore order for upgrading various aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The company had also signed a contract worth Rs. 25 crores with Bell Helicopter for manufacture and supply of tail rotor blades and another worth Rs. 45 crores with the Malaysian Government for supply of radar computers.

Mr. Baweja said HAL was in the process of finalising joint ventures with the French firm, Snecma, and the Israeli companies, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elbit. "HAL is also studying the viability of participating in International RRJ (Russian Regional Jet) development programme with Sukhoi Design Bureau, Boeing, Ilyushin and Yakovlev Design Bureau."

CAT aircraft

Mr. Baweja unveiled plans to design and develop a combat attack trainer (CAT) aircraft, which will be superior to the British-built Hawk. The twin-engine, all-composite CAT will be configured for performance both as a trainer and combat aircraft.

The IAF will be HAL's partner in the project, set to kick off "in the near future."

On the intermediate jet trainer, Mr. Baweja said with 120 flights already completed, the project is progressing well. "We want to enter into series production as soon as possible. This will be a superb aircraft to market in the world. This is the only jet-engine aircraft in its class that is very cost effective. It is equipped with a very modern cockpit," he said.

Mr. Baweja said the flight development programme of Tejas would be accelerated. The aircraft has done about 330 flights so far. "The certification stage is tough. We are looking at about 15 to 18 flights a month for certification."

Exports

He said HAL would push Dhruv by further improving its aesthetics and interiors. "This aircraft will go places. We will give a cost-effective solution (through Dhruv). The competition is very difficult with players such as Eurocopter and Bell in the fray," he said. Dhruv's promotion in Chile has elicited a good response from that country's defence forces. India has tied up with the IAI to market over 120 Dhruvs in the next eight years, he said.

Mr. Baweja said HAL has so far produced 35 Dhruvs, two of which were sold to Nepal. Another helicopter will be shipped to Israel later this month. Some customers from Southeast Asia are also interested, he said. The company was upgrading the Jaguar aircraft with a brand new cockpit with enhanced battle potential and the MiG-21 BIS aircraft with improved multi-mode radar and advanced avionic systems. The MiG-27 was being upgraded with a mission computer and advanced avionics and the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters with improved cockpit, much larger payload and reserve power.

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