Aerospace Diary

Please credit aerospacediary Neelam Mathews Apr 29, 2016 Even as global firms battle to gain attention of India for the second line of fighters, Dirk Hoke  CEO of Airbus Defence and Space (DS) made his company's focus clear by making a visit to Delhi this week to make an offer to design, develop, manufacture and export the Advanced Medium Combat  Aircraft (AMCA).  The AMCA offer aerospacediary learns, comes with a rider: Airbus will only be associated with the project in a 50:50 joint venture since decisions tend to get overridden by Indian counterparts. Discussions are likely to get stuck if HAL insists on Airbus reimbursing it for the cost of the LCA development. In which case, Airbus is likely to demand cost of transfer of technology. Another future Make in India project sunk before floated!? Hoke took over his position from April 1 this year, and was making no bones in the aggressive role the company wants to play. Airbus is believed to have focusse...

Neelam Mathews Nov 5 2015 Dubai Air Show (AIN) In 2013, Boeing placed its first CH-47 Chinook helicopter contract in India with Bangalore-based Dynamatic for aft-pylon and cargo ramp assemblies. India’s aerospace design and manufacturing industry is finally coming home to roost. Boeing (Stand 900) chairman James McNerney echoed confidence in the industry and the new government during a global summit, “India’s Time to Fly,” held in Delhi last month [October] when he announced that Boeing was “much closer to having final assembly [of] Apache or Chinook helicopters here.” McNerney added: “That will play out, and that is our strategy. Companies like Boeing are always on the lookout for competitive advantages that come with innovative new technologies and long-term partnerships.” He said India, with its broad, deep engineering capability and skilled workforce, was a natural partner “that offers us the long-term opportunities…” The statement came on the heels of India finalizi...

Neelam Mathews Oct 18, 2015 While Boeing Co Chairman, President and CEO James   McNerney announced to an awe-struck audience in Delhi on Oct 16 that the company would be willing to make its twin-engine F-18 fighters in India, when India releases another MMRCA tender in two years, one wonders what is actually happening to thinking in higher echelons of power? I am not even going into issues related to CISMOA, which a few say will be solved ultimately. While it goes to the credit of the OEMs that they are more than willing to include Indian companies in their global supply base, one wonders why homework has not been done to calculate costs that will be incurred should the country add to its already over two dozen different aircraft models? The Indian Air Force, as far as I can remember, has been crying hoarse over this issue. So while, one has no affiliations to the Rafale for instance, why not just set up co-production for another 90 more? We have to start some time. As...

by Neelam Mathews  - October 15, 2015, 11:16 AM Indian air force chief of air staff AM Arup Raha reviews engine component production at HAL’s Koraput factory. (Photo: Indian MoD) The Indian Air Force continues to mull alternative plans for its future combat aircraft fleet. But despite a recent call by chief of staff   AM   Arup Raha to speed up production of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft ( LCA ), a senior MoD official has told   AIN   that India will exercise its option for 36 more Rafales in a year’s time. The contract for the first 36 is expected to be signed shortly. Despite years of development, the   IAF   has received only one   LCA   from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd ( HAL ), for weapons integration and testing. Another three are due to be delivered by mid-2016, and   HAL   has said it can produce up to eight   LCA s annually, after investment in jigs, tools and fixtures. The   IAF   place...

Programs Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Apr 22 , 2010 , p. 13 Neelam Mathews NEW DELHI — India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is evaluating Indian air force requirements for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The weight of the AMCA will not exceed 25 tons. The twin-engine configured aircraft will have a higher thrust being in the bigger weight category than the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO) had announced earlier this year that the AMCA program would be launched in 2010. While unofficially work has started on the design, according to an official, the AMCA will be officially announced in 6-8 months. “There is nothing official about it … It is currently not a sanctioned project from the government. We are looking at the technical requirements submitted by the Indian air force,” the official told Aerospace DAILY. The AMCA was earlier called ...