Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews March 4, 2013 Defense Queries Answered Today (Verbatim) in Lok Sabha on- HAL- So what’s new? More Excuses? Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has taken up indigenous production of SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Advanced Jet Trainer (Hawk), Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), Advance Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Dornier-228 for the defence forces. Dornier-228 program has been as per schedule. There have been some delays in deliveries in respect of production programs of other aircraft. In the initial stages of the projects, delays were due to additional re-work on jigs in Hawk, late receipt of drawings from Russia for Su-30 MKI, integration issues of Integrated Architecture and Display System (IADS) with Shakti engine and other new items in respect of ALH and design and development issues relating to IJT and LCA. The certification of IJT was also delayed due to an accid...

Programs Aerospace Daily & Defense Report Dec 15 , 2010 , p. 08 Neelam Mathews BENGALURU, India — India’s largest defense manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), is in talks with the U.K.’s BAE Systems on various projects related to Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers. HAL is currently licensed by BAE to produce the Hawk in India for the Indian military. Possible future projects include establishing a maintenance, repair and overhaul base for Hawks worldwide, building a worldwide supply chain and making India the center for exporting the Hawk in the long term, Aviation Week has learned. The final decision on what direction the partnership will take will depend on cost and both companies’ desire to kick-start the project. Opportunities are opening up for BAE as it expands its installed base for Hawks in India. In February 2003, India signed a $1.7-billion contract with BAE to supply 66 Hawk trainer jets. In...

NEW DELHI — Controversy continues to surround India’s delayed effort to purchase Hawk Mk. 132 trainer aircraft. Charges and countercharges have been made over the past year between vendor BAE Systems and Indian government defense manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.(HAL), which had promised to manufacture a certain share of the Advanced Jet Trainer after BAE delivered the initial batch. Of the 66 Hawks ordered, BAE Systems has delivered all 24 aircraft in flyaway condition promised to the Indian air force. Delivery of the remaining 42 AJTs was scheduled from 2007-2008 and 2010-2011 in a phased manner. To date, HAL has manufactured 12 aircraft. “Delivery delays have been an exasperation for the Indian air force,” an official told Aviation Week. Answering a question in parliament April 22 on why deliveries have been delayed, Minister of State for Defense M.M. Pallam Raju said three aircraft were to be built from semi-knocked down (SKD) kits, three from completely knocked down (CKD...