Nashik/Bengaluru: Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane inaugurated the third LCA production line and also handed over the 100th Sukhoi-30 MKI ROH aircraft to Air Vice-Marshal Sarin, VSM, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Eng A), Indian Air Force, at a programme at HAL’s Nashik Division on Friday (April 7, 2023). The Signal Out Certificate (SOC) of the 100th ROH aircraft was handed over by Saket Chaturvedi, CEO (MiG Complex) to Air Vice-Marshal Sarin in the presence of HAL CMD CB Ananthakrishnan and other senior officials.
The Defence Secretary lauded HAL’s efforts in taking up the challenge of setting up an ROH facility for the Su-30 MKI and also establishing a new production line for LCA manufacturing. He remarked that HAL has been fulfilling the needs of the country’s security. He said, “The government has come up with several Aatmanirbhar Bharat policies, which puts HAL in a very important position. HAL will be producing more in the coming years. It will build more systems, come up with new concepts and new platforms for future growth,” he added.
He also urged HAL to take up new initiatives to compete aggressively in the defence market and look into new areas, such as unmanned vehicles, as the country needs these advanced systems now. He laid emphasis on initiatives, innovation and excellence and focus on performance. He visited the LCA Assembly Complex, Su-30 ROH Flight Hangar and Final Assembly Hangar.
CB Ananthakrishnan said, “The new production line will enable the company to enhance the LCA MK1A production capacity from 16 to 24 aircraft per year. HAL’s Nashik Division has achieved peak overhaul capacity of 20 Su-30 aircraft per year despite having supply chain issues in the prevailing geopolitical situation.”
HAL has already set up two LCA manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru. HAL’s Nashik Division set up an Su-30 MKI Repair and Overhaul (ROH) facility in 2014, the first of its kind anywhere in the world to meet the operational requirements of the IAF. Having gained experience from manufacturing MiG-series and Su30-MKI aircraft and subsequent overhaul of MiG-series aircraft, HAL successfully mastered the technology with valuable support from the IAF, regulatory bodies and private industries. Several HAL sister divisions are involved in ROH activities. HAL plans to reduce its dependence on OEM by indigenizing a majority of the components required for ROH within the next 3-5 years.
IAF’s order of 83 Tejas Mark I-A
To keep production lines buzzing till 2028, HAL, meanwhile, wants the IAF’s order of 83 Tejas Mark I-A, a faster and more versatile version of the current Mark I. For this, HAL has to cut down 800 kg of the Mark I A’s weight, especially from its current heavy landing gear, which has been built for safety, besides cutting down on 300 kg of dead weight spread across the Mark I body to balance the fighter evenly.
-The writer is a Defence and Aerospace analyst
-The author is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily carry the views of Raksha Anirveda
