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HAL likely to bag IAF order for 40 Tejas

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, APRIL 19. The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) is likely to get an order for producing 40 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas, from the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Rs. 4,000-crore order included 32 fighters and eight trainers, the HAL Chairman, N.R. Mohanty, said.

The IAF had placed an order for eight limited series production (LSP) of Tejas. These were being produced concurrently with the development of Tejas and would be powered by the American GE-404 engines, he told presspersons here on Monday.

Tejas' maiden flight was in January 2001. The indigenously designed and developed aircraft is expected to replace the MiG 21 fleet of the IAF. HAL is likely to deliver the aircraft from the end of this decade.

Mr. Mohanty said HAL had plans to build a Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The aircraft's specifications and the project report were being readied to seek the government's approval after the elections, he added.

He had recently met the Chief of Air Staff, S. Krishnaswamy, to seek the IAF's cooperation for the initiation of new projects. Replacement for the HPT-32 (Hindustan Piston Trainer) was one of them, which HAL was interested in.

The company was thinking of producing a turboprop aircraft that could be exported. The IAF required more than 200 such aircraft. "We exported one Dornier and two Advanced Light Helicopters last year. We are looking at the entire world. But we are not very good at marketing," he said.

On the proposal for an Indo-Russian project to build a multi-role transport aircraft, Mr. Mohanty said the Russian side had not indicated how many it would require. This had delayed the launch of the venture.

The company had earned Rs. 215 crores in exports in 2003-04 and was looking to exceed it in the current financial year. .

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