NEW DELHI: In a significant step to speed up the delivery of the indigenously manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, the Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane on Friday inaugurated the third LCA production line and also handed over the 100th Sukhoi-30 MKI ROH (Repair and Overhaul) aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
Speaking about the new facility, CB Ananthakrishnan, CMD, HAL said, “The new production line will enable the company to enhance LCA MK1A production capacity from 16 to 24 aircraft per year.” HAL has already set up two LCA manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru.
The Signal Out Certificate (SOC) of the 100th ROH aircraft was handed over by Saket Chaturvedi, CEO (MiG Complex), to Air Vice Marshal Sarin, VSM in the presence of HAL CMD Ananthakrishnan and other senior officials.
The Defence Secretary lauded HAL’s efforts in taking up the challenge of setting up an ROH facility for the Su-30 MKI and also establishing a new production line for LCA manufacturing.
Speaking about the ROH, Ananthakrishnan said, “HAL’s Nashik Division has achieved peak overhaul capacity of 20 Su-30 aircraft per year despite having supply chain issues in current geopolitical situations.”
The step is important considering the decrease in the number of operational fighting squadrons of the IAF. While the IAF is sanctioned to operate 42 combat squadrons, it has around 30 squadrons.
In a big boost to indigenous defence manufacturing, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in January 2021 approved procurement of 83 indigenous advanced Tejas Mk1A versions of the aircraft from HAL. The 83 LCA Tejas will be in addition to 40 Tejas aircraft already ordered with HAL in initial configurations.
Speaking on Friday, the Defence Secretary remarked that HAL has been fulfilling the needs of the country’s security. He said, “The government has come out with several ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ policies, and that puts HAL in a very important position. HAL will be producing more in the coming years, building more systems, coming out with new concepts, new platforms for future growth,” Aramane added.
He also urged HAL to take up new initiatives to aggressively compete in the defence market and look into new areas like unmanned vehicles as the country is in need of these advanced systems. He emphasized on initiatives, innovation and excellence and focus on performance. He visited the LCA Assembly Complex, Su-30 ROH Flight Hangar and Final Assembly Hangar.
HAL has already set up two LCA manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru.
HAL plans to reduce the dependency on original equipment manufacturers (OEM) by indigenising the majority of components required for ROH within the next 3-5 years, HAL said in its statement.