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HAL officiating Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) P V Deshmukh told India
Strategic that the company had already
earmarked its own land, near Bangalore where it
is headquartered, to produce some of the aircraft’s
major components and integrate the overall aircraft
and systems.
The first 18 aircraft would come in flyaway condition,
within three years of the signing of the contract,
and meanwhile, HAL would get the production tooling,
expertise and technical knowhow under Transfer
of technology from the French.
The remaining 108 aircraft would initially be
progressively manufactured from SKD (Semi Knocked
Down) and CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits.
Gradually, HAL would start producing fuselage
and other parts from raw materials. Dassault enginners
would assist in technology transfer and production
plants.
HAL has been preparing for the MMRCA project
in terms of allocation of funds and organizational
changes needed to launch and deliver the MMRCA
project targets on time. Three phases have been
earmarked for HAL’s goalposts in manufacturing
this highly sophisticated aircraft.
Mr Deshmukh, who was earlier Managing Director
of HAL’s Mig Complex at Nasik, said that
over the next 10 years, the MMRCA Rafale project
should generate business approximating US Dollars
4 to 5 billion. “It is a huge project for
us,” he observed.
He disclosed that HAL already had Memorandums
of Understanding (MoUs) with Dassault and engine
maker Snecma to produce some of the designated
parts. “HAL has been preparing for the MMRCA
project in terms of allocation of funds and organizational
changes needed to launch and deliver the MMRCA
project targets on time.”
Separate divisions have been planned for the
aircraft and engine of the MMRCA at Bangalore,
and two locations have been shortlisted within
the HAL estate there for setting up the airframe
and engine divisions.
Pre-planning activities with respect to conceptual
design of plant layout for the aircraft and engine
production units are under progress.
The accessory production has been planned at
HAL Divisions at Hyderabad, Lucknow and Korwa.
Mr Deshmukh described the Rafale as a state of
the art multi-role combat aircraft capable of
wide range of missions such as air-defense, air-superiority,
close air support, air-to-ground precision strike,
interdiction, maritime roles and nuclear strikes.
It has an integrated suite of avionics, electronic
sensors, AESA Radar and active/passive counter
measures.
“HAL is the designated lead production agency
for the airframe, aero-engine and system integration
of the aircraft. Out of the 126 aircraft, 18 aircraft
will be directly supplied by Dassault Aviation
and 108 aircraft will be built at HAL in three
phases. In the next four years, the Rafale aircraft
deliveries would commence from HAL to the Indian
Air Force as per the agreed schedule. HAL envisages
a business volume of about Rs.20,000 to 25,000
crores ($ 4 to 5 billion) in the MMRCA project
over the next 10 years.”
Mr Deshmukh said that the offset requirement
of the MMRCA programme being 50 per cent of the
foreign exchange content, HAL is also looking
forward for active participation in this industrial
effort up to around 30 per cent of the offset
value.
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