The first fully indigenous Su-30MKI fighter plane will roll off
Indian assembly lines in 2010, a top executive at Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited said on Wednesday.
“Next year, HAL will achieve 100 per cent indigenisation of the
Sukhoi aircraft — from the production of raw materials to the final
plane assembly,” V. Balakrishnan, general manager, Aircraft
Manufacturing Division, told.
A five-member HAL delegation is taking part in MAKS-2009, Russia’s international air show now under way here.
Out of the 230 Su-30MKI air superiority multirole fighters the Indian
Air Force plans to induct by 2015, 140 aircraft are to be built in
India. License production began in 2004, with the first planes assembled
from knockdown kits supplied by Russia. The programme provided for a
gradual increase in the number of parts and components produced locally.
Last year, HAL mastered the manufacture of the wing and the tail.
This year, it started producing the fuselage and raw materials, Mr.
Balakrishnan said. The final and most challenging phase involved the
indigenous manufacture of the engine.
“We’re currently testing the locally produced engine for the Su-30MKI
and are planning to launch its production in 2010.” HAL would
manufacture 60 Su-30MKI fighters in the full production cycle till 2015,
he said.
India also plans to sign an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) with
Russia for supply of HAL-manufactured Sukhoi airframes for third
countries. It is already supplying some avionics equipment for Sukhoi
aircraft Russia is building for third countries.
Later this year, India and Russia would sign a design accord for a
fifth generation fighter aircraft they agreed to build jointly in 2007.
India would be responsible for the manufacture of composite-material
parts of the airframe, avionics and software packages, Mr. Balakrishnan
said.
The Russian single-seat version of the fifth generation fighter plane
is expected to make its maiden flight in the coming winter. India will
induct a twin-seat version.
Read More AT:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/20/stories/2009082057882000.htm
Read More AT:
http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/20/stories/2009082057882000.htm
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