HAL to produce complex components to Pratt and Whitney

Bangalore, Dec 27 (UNI) Defence aviation major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has firmed up a huge ten-year contract with aero engine maker Pratt and Whitney for producing complex components with an investment of around 20 million US dollars (around Rs 100 crore), HAL chairman Ashok K Baweja said today.

Talking to mdiapersons here he said necessary investment would be made at the Koraput plant of HAL and the Unit would, within the next two years, start producing components. HAL would receive the technical documents and training for producing 70 complex components that go into the hot end of the aero engine. The contract would yield HAL about 50 million US dollars over a ten-year period, he added.

HAL had already started producing components for another aero engine maker Snecma under a joint venture.

Discussions are also on with Airbus industries for setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Bangalore Airport, Mr Baweja said adding that the joint venture would have a third partner.

The busy Bangalore Airport would be fully under the control of HAL next year when the new international airport at Devanahalli would become operational. ''We will need the airport for testing our new aircraft and also the Aircraft Systems Training Establishment'' he said adding that the new joint venture for MRO would generate much more than the current revenue of Rs 150 crore HAL was getting from the airport.

HAL was expected to generate a turnover of around Rs 7000 crore this fiscal and was sitting on an orderbook of around Rs 30,000 crore.

MORE UNI VK MS KN1434