HYDERABAD: Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), on Friday, delivered its 100th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache combat helicopter to Boeing, from its manufacturing facility in Hyderabad. The fuselage will be transported to Boeing’s AH-64 Apache manufacturing facility in Arizona, US, for integration into the final assembly line.
On the occasion, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said, “This is a proud moment for Telangana and a noteworthy step in the growth of India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing. Our government is committed to providing all the support necessary to make the State a preferred destination for global aviation and defence manufacturers. I congratulate Boeing and Tata for this milestone.” Salil Gupte, president of Boeing India, said that TBAL was an example of Boeing’s commitment towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defence not just for India, but for the world.
“We have quadrupled our sourcing from India in the past two years to more than $1 billion. Skilled talent, robust infrastructure, ease of doing business, and responsive government administration make Telangana an ideal destination for the high-end manufacturing work that the aerospace and defence industry demands.” Sukaran Singh, managing director and chief executive officer of TASL, said that this accomplishment placed the Telangana facility amongst the global supply chain for Apache Helicopters.
“Further, it underlines indigenous manufacturing capability to produce cutting-edge technology and quality defence equipment in the country, and promote the Indian aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem, globally,” he added. Tata Boeing Aerospace, Boeing’s first equity joint venture in India, is the result of a 2015-partnership agreement with TASL. Spread over 14,000 square meters, the state-of-theart facility has been producing aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures and vertical spar boxes for customers worldwide.