NEW DELHI: A new helicopter manufacturing factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be opened on Monday, in what will be India’s largest such facility that will initially produce light utility helicopters (LUHs).
The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters with varying load-carrying capacities, with a total business of over Rs 4 lakh crore over the next 20 years. The HAL already has a plant in Bengaluru that produces advanced light helicopters (ALHs).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the factory spread over 615 acres at Tumakuru, Karnataka. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence will be among those present on the occasion.
The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed ‘3-ton class’, single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year, a count that can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 in a phased manner. The first LUH has been flight-tested and is ready for unveiling.
The factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as light combat helicopters (LCHs) and Indian multirole helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of military and civilian use helicopters. The potential exports of the civil variant of the LUH will also be catered to from this factory, the Ministry of Defence said.
The factory is fully operational with heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control and servicing facilities. It is being equipped with state-of-the-art industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations. The foundation stone of the facility was laid by Prime Minister Modi in 2016.