HAL To Open Four New Plants Across India

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is doing great business these days. Thanks to bulk orders of advanced fighter jets, transport aircraft, and helicopters, HAL is finally embarking on an expansion drive.

Four new factories are scheduled to be opened in a matter of years to meet orders for the medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA), the vaunted fifth-generation fighter deal with United Aircraft Corporation/Sukhoi/Rosoboronexport, and a large fleet of helicopters.

HAL, being a government-owned entity, has a leading role in transforming the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is undergoing a major overhaul to meet the regional challenges posed by Pakistan and China.

Among HAL’s numerous contracts, it’s the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) program worth $6 billion that’s most impressive and awe-inspiring. By 2020, it’s projected India will have between 200 and 250 fifth-generation fighters.

The Deccan Herald reports:

Speaking on the sidelines of an event, he [Hal Design an Developmenthead N.C. Argawal] said: “These will be for the production of medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) , light utility helicopter (LUH), fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and multi-role transport aircraft (MTA).”

He said the government is set to buy 18 aircraft under the MMRCA programme from a foreign manufacturer, with the remaining 108 to be produced by HAL under licence.

HAL is also scouting for a location for manufacture of light utility helicopter (LUH), and once it’s identified, government approval would be sought. Separate plants have also been proposed for the FGFA and MTA he said, adding, as per initial plans, MTA would be manufactured in Kanpur and FGFA in Nasik.

A Russian team is already in Bangalore to train HAL personnel as the preliminary design of FGFA has begun. FGFA is a $6 billion project, to be equally shared by India and Russia. A contract for preliminary design of the FGFA was signed between HAL, Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi.  The Indo-Russian FGFA programme involves production of 200-250 aircraft.