Date:24/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/24/stories/2008082455831000.htm

National

HAL to manufacture civil aircraft: Antony

Staff Reporter

Defence Minister A.K. Antony lighting a lamp to mark the inauguration of a strategic electronics manufacturing unit of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at Seethangoli, Kasaragod on Saturday.

KASARAGOD: The public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), a pioneer in the manufacturing of military aircraft and helicopters, will embark on the manufacturing of civil aircraft in the coming days, Union Defence Minister A.K Antony has said.

Mr. Antony was addressing a function at Seethangoli here after laying the foundation of a strategic electronics manufacturing unit of the HAL here. The paper works for entering into the civil aircraft manufacturing sector have begun, said the Minister.

The process would take some time and the government would divulge more details of the project at a later stage.

While the design of the proposed civil aircraft would be indigenous, the HAL would go for strategic foreign cooperation in other areas where it was needed. Mr. Antony said the HAL was involved in licensed production of military aircraft and equipment for India’s military and would start production of aircraft for para-military also in the coming days.

He said the HAL had already started delivering advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv to the Air Force.

The Minister said the HAL had received orders worth Rs.15,000 crore and had grown into a global player. The orders for the export of ALH were from Peru, Ecuador and Turkey. Negotiations with Bolivia in this regard were in an advanced stage, he said.

Mr. Antony said the Kasaragod HAL unit was the first production facility started by the company since it had started a production unit at Amethi in 1984. He said the first phase of the unit here would be completed in 18 months.

Referring to the Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kannur, the Minister said it would be dedicated to the nation by the beginning of next year. It would be Asia’s largest naval academy.

Mr. Antony said the government had allotted an additional sum of Rs.221 crore to the Ezhimala academy recently.