Private firms to help make Kamov copters

[Ankit Kumar]

●HAL to be lead integrator
Russian firm Kamov and HAL will produce 200 Kamov 226-T copters at a cost of Rs 6,500 cr
●Indian side will hold 50.50 pc stake in the venture of which private firms will be partners
●HAL, owned by the Ministry of Defence, will remain the lead integrator of the copter
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 16

As India and Russia firm up their alliance to produce Kamov military helicopters, it has been decided that the public sector giant, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), will not be the only Indian partner in the project.

The Ministry of Defence is looking to have private sector Indian investors to share a part of the contract that India has to execute under a joint venture with Russia. The Indian side will hold 50.50 per cent stake in the joint venture of which the private sector companies will be strategic partners with HAL. The private partners could be doing various tasks of making the copter India at HAL’s Bangalore facility. The HAL will remain the lead integrator of the copter, sources said.

Kamov-HAL will produce 200 of the Kamov 226-T copters at a cost of nearly Rs 6,500 crore or Rs 32 crore per copter in India. It will be an inter-governmental deal like the ones earlier for the Russian Sukhoi-30-MKI fighter jets in India or the T-90 tanks. The HAL is owned by the Ministry of Defence and has previous experience at making copters.

The Indian forces need some 800 light utility helicopters over the next decade, a demand which cannot be fulfilled by the HAL alone. The Indo-Russia joint venture aims to have an annual production capacity of 40-60 helicopters.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had last year announced a two-pronged plan to ramp up copter production in India. The first part was to ramp up capacity at HAL and, the second, to invite foreign participation to collaborate with Indian companies.

The first part of expansion of HAL kicked off on January 3 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the stone for HAL’s new helicopter manufacturing facility at Tumkuru, 100 km from Bengaluru.

Under the India-Russia agreement, the engine of the Kamov will involve a separate partnership. The Kamov uses French engine-maker Turbomeca’s power plant. The HAL already has a partnership with the same French company to produce engines for its indigenously developed copter, the advanced light helicopter, called Dhruv. The Kamov 226-T is also fitted with Turbomeca engines, but a different variant.

HAL in the past has licensed-produced the French origin Cheetah/Chetak light utility helicopter. The twin-engine Kamov 226-T will replace the single-engine Cheetah/Chetak.

Private firms to help make Kamov copters

@Abingdonboy @PARIKRAMA @anant_s

 

[anant_s]

Helicopters are a neglected area as far as our defence forces are concerned and given the fact that in next decade there will have to be a massive induction of Helios, it is imperative that private sector too chips in.
HAL would also start increasing production of Dhruva and Rudra and hence should have its assembly lines busy. Therefore private sector participation will definitely help in keeping up the production volumes up.

 

[raktaka]

What HAL needs to do urgently is develop a 1,600 KW engine and strap it onto a Heli with Fold able rotors ASAP.

The MLH delay is unforgivable. IN should press for this. S-70 is far too expensive and comes with US strings.

 

[Abingdonboy]

What HAL needs to do urgently is develop a 1,600 KW engine and strap it onto a Heli with Fold able rotors ASAP.

The MLH delay is unforgivable. IN should press for this. S-70 is far too expensive and comes with US strings.

The IN hasn't got time to wait for HAL to develop an entirely new helicopter, that would take 6-7 years- the IN needed new helos literally years ago. Today ships are going to sea with empty hangers or 40+ year old Sea King Mk.42Cs. A large off the shelf procurement (with scope for make in India ) is needed and it is needed ASAP.

 

[raktaka]

The IN hasn't got time to wait for HAL to develop an entirely new helicopter, that would take 6-7 years- the IN needed new helos literally years ago. Today ships are going to sea with empty hangers or 40+ year old Sea King Mk.42Cs. A large off the shelf procurement (with scope for make in India ) is needed and it is needed ASAP.

Sad but True. HAL and GoI dropped the ball. IN should have lobbied harder with MoD, HAL.

 

[INDIAISM]

The IN hasn't got time to wait for HAL to develop an entirely new helicopter, that would take 6-7 years- the IN needed new helos literally years ago. Today ships are going to sea with empty hangers or 40+ year old Sea King Mk.42Cs. A large off the shelf procurement (with scope for make in India ) is needed and it is needed ASAP.

I think It would have alot better if instead of spending 1.65 Billion$ on 15 US-2 aircraft we would have invested that money on acquiring Helo for Indian Navy under MII....

 

[Abingdonboy]

I think It would have alot better if instead of spending 1.65 Billion$ on 15 US-2 aircraft we would have invested that money on acquiring Helo for Indian Navy under MII....

Too true but then these deals aren't mutually exclusive- the helos will come too but I would have prefered the helos were being given priority over the US-2Is.