Rolls-Royce, Bell Helicopter partnering to supply copters to IAF

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) British aerospace firm, Rolls-Royce, and Bell Helicopter Textron are partnering on a proposal to the Indian Army for its Shen Helicopter programme including the Bell 407 helicopter, powered by Rolls-Royce Model 250 engines.

The Model 250 is currently under evaluation by the Indian Army for its Shen helicopter.

The Shen programme involves purchase of up to 197 helicopters and a significant number of engines would be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) as part of the proposal, officials of the British High Commission here said.

HAL will assemble 42 of the engines at its facility in Bangalore where it has been assembling Adour Mk811 engines for the Jaguar since 1978.

The Rolls-Royce, which is participating in the 'Aero India 2007 at Bangalore, is exhibiting the Adour Mk871 engine which will power the new fleet of Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Also featured are two of the company's helicopter engines.

The Model 250 powers the Bell 407 and is currently under evaluation by the Indian Army for its Shen helicopter.

The Rolls-Royce which is the the world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its partnership with the Indian aerospace industry.

In 1932, the company supplied Gipsy engines to power the Dragon Rapide DH-89 aircraft operated by Tata Airlines, the fore-runner to Air India.

''The delivery of the first Adour-powered Hawk trainers later this year will open a new chapter in our partnership,'' Mr Martin Fausset, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace, said.

This year also marks a new long-term partnership between Rolls-Royce and India on advanced technology development.

Rolls-Royce will collaborate in a research project aimed at developing alloys for use in 'greener' aircraft engines, working with teams from Imperial College, London, and Indian institutes to design 'self-actuating' components suitable for use in aero engines.

The alloys, to be developed at Imperial College London, IISc Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai, will lead to engine components that can change shape or position at a particular temperature.

These components could replace mechanical moving parts in aircraft, leading to reduced engine weight and increased energy efficiency.

UNI