The Hindu Business Line : HAL may roll out 10-tonne copter plan this year

Bangalore, Feb. 25 Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd said it expected to roll out its next premier project, the development of the 10-tonne medium-lift helicopter project this year.

Word from MoD

It is awaiting the final word from the Ministry of Defence on the mode of acquiring a copter of this class: whether to produce them entirely at home or buy some and make some under licence or import them outright as per the Defence Procurement Policy 2006.

A decision could be in the final stage, said Mr M.Fakruddin, HAL’s Director (Corporate Planning & Marketing). Pending the verdict, the defence public enterprise has zeroed in on a potential equal partner and expects to launch the work by mid-2008.

The advanced light copter programme cost around Rs 500 crore and the 10-tonner would surpass it.

Tie-ups

HAL prefers a partnership only to cut down the development time so that it can bring out a product in 5-6 years, he said. The new, heavier copter would need a high-power engine and modifications in the gearbox and cockpit. Copter majors Eurocopter and Sikorsky are among those said to be keen to be part of the programme.

The 5-tonne multi-purpose advanced light helicopter Dhruv is now a mature product and the light combat helicopter LCH is on the design board. Mr Fakruddin said: “We would like to take [the helicopter programme] to the next level. We hope to launch the 10-tonne programme around the middle of this year.”

The Army’s forward areas are said to need a large number of these copters for heavy lifts on higher altitudes, in place of the present mix of Russian and Indian fleet.

Twin Projects

The medium-lift copter apart, HAL may be winging in on two more big-ticket programmes in 2008. The fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft and a 100-seater medium multi-role transport aircraft are being pursued with Russian partners. “We are going to have an exciting year,” he told Business Line.

The twin projects, too, are awaiting the final go-ahead from the two Governments. For the ambitious $600-million transport plane joint venture that is to be equally shared, “We have sorted out the technical aspects and the programme needs to be decided,” Mr Fakruddin said.

A cargo version is to be tried out first and later converted into a 100-120-seater passenger aircraft. HAL is to make 45 of the 145 planes to replace the ageing AN-32 transport fleet.

As per a 2007 pact, HAL is to join in the ongoing design of the fifth-generation fighter which will be at par with the best in the world. Russia expects to test-fly it in 2009 and RAC-MiG and Sukhoi Design Bureau have begun work based on the Sukhoi platform.