Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd calls bids for new MMRCA complex

[1nd1a]

Defence aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has invited bids to build a new design and manufacturing complex in Bangalore for MMRCA fighter planes.

The facility is estimated to cost Rs 360 crore and is to be completed two years from the award date.

The IAF is acquiring at least 126 MMRCAs (medium multi-role combat aircraft) to modernise its ageing and depleting fleet.

The MiG-21 fighters are to be phased out from 2014. The Navy is also expected to top up the order.

The tender for the new production unit comes even as the Government’s Contract Negotiation Committee is negotiating the cost of procuring the fourth-generation fighters with the finalist vendor, France’s Dassault Aviation.

HAL plans to locate it at Challaghatta where it has large tracts of land. The integrated ‘green’ factory complex will include hangars, runways and residential units.

The area is close to the old international airport, which was closed to commercial flights in May 2008.

The HAL defence airport continues to operate military, VVIP, charter and select non-scheduled flights into and out of Bangalore.

The Ministry of Defence said in February this year that a Contract Negotiation Committee had started negotiations with the L1 MMRCA bidder, France’s Dassault.

This was for its lower price over the European Eurofighter consortium for its Typhoon. Dassault — if and when an agreeable price is reached in the coming months and the contract is sealed — will directly supply 18 Rafale MMRCAs to the IAF.

HAL will build the remaining 108 aircraft. It will be its first export of Rafale, which has also been used in Afghanistan and Libya.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd calls bids for new MMRCA complex | idrw.org

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I think this is the right way forward. We need a separate facility for Rafale manufacturing.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

way to go !!

 

[Yeti]

HAL can't do it on its own this is a step in the right direction

 

[Indian_Gem]

great news!!!

 

[Roybot]

Uggh 2 years to build the complex, so they better hurry up. Otherwise it will delay the MMRCA induction even more.

 

[Yeti]

Uggh 2 years to build the complex, so they better hurry up. Otherwise it will delay the MMRCA induction even more.

The first 18 we will get off the shelf from France all brand spanking new.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Uggh 2 years to build the complex, so they better hurry up. Otherwise it will delay the MMRCA induction even more.

Unlikely, the award is likely to be given this year so we are looking at 2014/5 timeline for completion of this structure (about the same time the first ready built SQD of Rafales should arrive in India) and this is right in line with the timeline of the IAF/MoD with the next few SQDs of Rafales being built in knock-down forms and then after a few years the facility making the Rafale from scratch.

 

[Sashan]

They created a new complex back in 1990s for ALH(a.k.a Dhruv) - I was one of those who got moved from Overhaul division to ALH division. So it is a routine approach here.

 

[God of Death]

The private sector should also be involved and parts should be outsourced in India.

 

[sancho]

Uggh 2 years to build the complex, so they better hurry up. Otherwise it will delay the MMRCA induction even more.

Not necessarily, because this complex is needed for the licence production, which will start only 4 years after the deal is signed (first MMRCA squad produced by manufacturer will come 3 years after signature), so the time shouldn't be a problem as of now. But what I find interesting is:

The facility is estimated to cost Rs 360 crore

While our media speculated that the Mirage 2000 upgrade requires:

another $500 million for new facilities at Hindustan Aeronautics’s Bangalore establishment.

Costliest fighter upgrade


Shows how credible some of our media sources are.

 

[Tshering22]

For this we should have started building facilities in mid 2000s. HAL is slow as usual. At least they could have analyzed the production rate estimates and set up the external building if not jet-specific infrastructure. But now they are going to start with the brick-laying.

Poor planning and very slow execution. Let's pray that more pilot lives are not lost due to HAL's myopic thinking.