Dear Friends,
This is Sangeeta Saxena Editor Aviation & Defence Universe getting you live from Aero India 2023 at Bangalore. This is Day 1 and the buzz word here at Yelhanka Airforce Station is HAL, the only public sector aircraft manufacturer in India- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. We have just come out of the inauguration ceremony are were mesmerized by the HAL display in the skies above , which was an ode to Make in India. It was a unique ‘Aatmanirbhar Formation’ flight of 15 helicopters consisting of all variants of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), ‘Prachand’ Light Combat Helicopter, and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). The fixed wing front will witness LCA twin seater variant, Hawk-i, Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) and Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40 aircraft.
HAL is showcasing its full spectrum training capabilities and display for the first time, the scale model of Hindustan Lead in Fighter Trainer (HLFT)-42. HLFT-42 is the ‘Next Gen Supersonic Trainer’ that will play a critical role in modern combat aircraft training with state-of-the-art avionics like Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite, Infrared Search and Track (IRST) with Fly by Wire control (FBW) system. HAL will showcase its range of products / technologies centred on the theme ‘Innovate. Collaborate. Lead’.
And from the skies we come to the displays in and around the halls and static area. HAL’s major attraction in its indoor pavilion (HALL-E) are the scale model of Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH), Next generation HLFT-42 and models of LCA Mk 2, Hindustan Turbo-shaft Engine-1200, RUAV, LCA Trainer, Hindustan-228 etc. The outdoor display adjacent to HAL stall features Rotary wing products LUH and ALH Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) variant.
ALH, Dornier, Hawk-i, HTT-40 are also on static display. In addition, civil certified Do-228 is showcased for utilization in commercial flying sector.
The central theme of the India Pavilion is Fixed Wing platform. An actual LCA-Tejas in FOC configuration will be the centre piece along with various associated structural modules, simulators, systems (LRUs) etc. being produced by private partners. There will also be sections for Def space, new technologies and UAV which will give an insight about the growth of India in each sector.
HAL will promote indigenously-built platforms to visiting defence delegations and hold business meetings with OEMs and customers besides signing agreements and contracts with its business partners for various projects. Customer demonstration flights will also be organised on various platforms.
You may recollect that just a week prior the air show India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This factory spread over 615 acres has been set up by HAL at Tumakuru, about 70 miles outside Bengaluru, for series production of LUH. The plant will be used for series production of LUH, LCH and Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) besides augmenting production and MRO of HAL-made helicopters.
The HAL Family Welfare Association has a stall with home made spices and pickles, handicraft, decorative bottles, jewelry and handmade candles. It has just got inaugurated and crowds are thronging it.
Now let me tell you all how HAL helps the burgeoning private sector. It permits the private industries to utilize its testing facilities at Bangalore, Lucknow and Hyderabad. The Private Industry already registered with HAL as approved vendor and hosted in HAL vendor directory can directly avail the test facilities.
HAL also has a strategy for outsourcing in a tiered structure by encouraging participation from the level of ‘non-risk sharing dependent’ entrepreneurs to a level of ‘risk sharing competent partners’.
TIER 1 is of Financial and Technical Risk sharing Partnership. These are suppliers capable of partnering/sharing across the spectrum of project design, development and execution and who have the ability to explore and generate common business interest in the aerospace sector.
TIER 2 is of suppliers capable of manufacturing and supplying complex/major parts and assemblies with capability for tool design and development with the procurement of raw material on their own.
TIER 3 are suppliers capable of manufacturing components/ sub assembly and detail parts. HAL will provide technical support to the suppliers.
In order to attain a progressively higher level of self-reliance, HAL has a policy of carrying out concerted effort on indigenization of components, accessories and systems required for manufacturing as well as repair & overhaul of aircraft, engine and equipment. Indigenization with the primary objective of achieving Make in India and lowering dependence on foreign countries especially for critical items is one of the key thrust areas of HAL.
HAL also under the objective of the Make II procedure utilises the emerging dynamism of private sector, wider participation of Indian industry and provide impetus to MSME/start-ups sector for achieving substantive self-reliance in defence production. Under this procedure, Supply Order is assured to the selected Development Agency (DA) upon successful acceptance of the developed product where the Design & Development (D&D) cost is reimbursed progressively with supplies.
HAL’s dictum of “The sky appears to be the limit for our growth” is true to the hilt. It has 15 joint venture companies with Indian and foreign OEMs. It’s Bangalore Complex has the Aircraft Division, Engine Division, Overhaul Division, Foundry & Forge Division , Aerospace Division, IMGT Division, Airport Services Centre and LCA-Tejas Division.
In the MiG Complex it has the Aircraft Manufacturing Division, Nasik and Aircraft Overhaul Division Nasik. In addition it has the MiG Engine Division Koraput and Sukhoi Engine Division Koraput.
It has the Accessories Complex at TAD-Kanpur Division , Accessories Division Lucknow, Avionics Division Hyderabad and Avionics Division Korwa.
HAL’s Helicopter Complex comprises of a Helicopter Division Bangalore, Helicopter MRO Division Bangalore, Barrackpore Division and Aerospace Composites Division.
HAL also believes in the development of skills and academic upgradation . It runs the HAL Management Academy (HMA) established in 1969, which celebrated its Golden Jubilee in the year 2019. HMA, the Learning & Development Centre of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been contributing in the field of Aerospace Technology & Management and had received approval of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to run 24 month full time Post Graduate Diploma in Aviation Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Production Management in the year 2020.
It also promotes the Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council (AASSC) which is the apex body in skill development in the emerging Aerospace and Aviation sector.
The list is endless and the aims high. HAL is India’s pride and a trailblazer in India’s stride in aerospace manufacturing. And today when the Aero India 2023 has taken off with elan , it goes without saying that the effort HAL has made 14 times to ensure the success of the show and showcasing of India’s aviation and aerospace growth, is of the highest order and the nation takes pride in this role the Indian aerospace major has played to present the country’s development and indigenization in the aerospace sector to the world.
And friends I now sign off but will get you more updates from HAL at Aero India 2023 in the coming days, as the show progresses. So it is bye for now.
