CHENNAI: American aerospace major Boeing has identified its Indian partner to manufacture its twin-engine F/A 18 Super Hornet aircraft in India, the company said on Wednesday.
Thomas E Breckenridge, Vice-President, Global Sales-India, Boeing, told TNIE that they are in the race since India is seeking to buy 110 fighter jets for Indian Air Force.
“We will announce the new partner on Thursday. Our aircraft is much cheaper than (Lockheed Martin’s)F-16 and the maintenance cost is lowest,” said Breckenridge, who refused to comment on the location of the new plant.
Interestingly, Boeing’s plan to set up a factory in India also comes when it is planning to upgrade Super Hornet Block-III with the jets rolling off the production line in 2020.The Super Hornet can be used by both Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, Breckenridge said, adding that the plan is to have an all-new plant in India unlike its competitor Lockheed Martin, which is planning to shift its entire plant at Fort Wentworth to India.
On Super Hornet’s limitations on using Short Takeoff but Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) in Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Breckenridge said he has visited the naval vessels and that STOBAR is possible for Super Hornet in the Indian vessel.
Usually, Super Hornet is operated on US carriers, which uses Catobar wherein the aircraft takes off using its own power rather than with the help of a catapult-based aircraft launch mission.
Breckenridge also said that Boeing is planning to expand its operations in India by enhancing its Indian partners from 160 to 400. Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing India, said its subsidiary CDG, an engineering service firm, is planning to expand its workforce to 500. This is as part of its plan to have an overall expansion of engineering force to 3,000 in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, Kumar said.
Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing India, said that its subsidiary CDG, an engineering service company, is planning to expand its workforce to 500. It is part of our overall expansion of engineering force to 3,000 in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai, he said.
He said Boeing is also in partnership with IIT and Indian Institute of science and other academic institutions. “We are also planning an emerging start-up ecosystem.