Hyderabad: Formally recognising Tata-Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL) as a potential future co-producer of fighter wings, US aerospace and defence major Lockheed Martin said in a release on an event marking the first fighter wing prototype built at the JV facility, “Through this prototype project, TLMAL demonstrated the capability to perform detailed part manufacturing and delivery of a fully compliant representative fighter aircraft wing shipset.”
Telangana Industries and IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao, senior leadership of Lockheed Martin, Tata Advanced Systems and TLMAL participated in the event.
Aimee Burnett, Vice-president (Strategy and Business Development) of Lockheed Martin Integrated Fighter Group said Lockheed Martin has partnered with TLMAL to build one of the most technologically complex aerostructures — a fuel-carrying 9G, 12,000 hour, interchangeable/ replaceable fighter wing.
This effort represents Lockheed Martin demonstrating to India, and to the world, the degree of confidence that exists in relationships with our partners in India, she said.
The prototype development further strengthens Lockheed Martin’s partnership with India, its commitment to enhancing additional indigenous production capability and supports its F-21 offering exclusively for India and the IAF for procurement of 114 new fighter by proving additional indigenous production capability.
Lockheed Martin and TLMAL had in 2018 entered into an agreement to develop a fighter wing prototype.
Telangana Industries and IT Minister, K.T. Rama Rao said Telangana has the most active and well supported aerospace and defence ecosystem in the country. The sector has witnessed unprecedented growth during the past five years, anchored on the progressive policies and infrastructure support provided by the government here.
Assuring support of State government for the current and future programmes of the firm, in a tweet, he said, “the successful certification and delivery of F-16 wing is a great testimony to the heights Hyderabad aerospace and defence ecosystem has grown to in a relatively short span of time.”
“The successful completion of the fighter wing shipset prototype project is another achievement added to the partnership between Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin,” said Sukaran Singh, Managing Director and CEO, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd.
“With this, the TLMAL creates a new benchmark in complex and end-to-end defence manufacturing in India that demands utmost precision and quality in all aspects of the process,” he added.
