Aircraft maker Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems on Saturday (June 18) laid the foundation for a new production facility in Hyderabad for its joint venture named TATA Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL). The joint venture has been established to co-produce Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages and other aero-structures. It will also pursue integrated systems in aerospace.
The Hyderabad facility will eventually be the sole producer of AH-64 fuselages globally. The Apache has been flown or selected for acquisition by the United States and 15 other nations, including India.
The function was attended by Manohar Parrikar, defence minister of India, K T Rama Rao, IT and industries minister, Telangana, and other officials from the Telangana government.
“The joint venture between Tata and Boeing is a significant step in developing India’s capabilities for aerospace and defence manufacturing and becoming a global exporter,” said minister Parrikar. This is a clear example of the significant progress made towards “Make in India for defence,” he added.
“Today’s ground-breaking ceremony is a significant milestone in furthering our commitment to the Indian aerospace sector,” said S. Ramadorai, Chairman of Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) adding that this joint venture which brings together the core strengths of both companies will help take this strategic relationship to the next level and it could boost the emerging manufacturing sector in India.
Boeing India’s president Pratyush Kumar said that this joint venture is an exciting advancement for Boeing in leveraging its capital and expertise globally.”
Tata Group and Boeing had in November 2015 announced this joint venture for manufacturing aero-structures and collaboration on integrated systems development opportunities in India. This joint venture will create a manufacturing centre of excellence to produce aero-structures for the AH-64 Apache and provide affordable manufacturing capabilities to the global aerospace industry.
According to Boeing vice president and TBAL board member Dave Koopersmith, Boeing will be making significant investments to ensure its success of the joint venture as it brings value to Boeing customers globally and compete for additional manufacturing work in the global market.
“We are proud to partner with Boeing to manufacture complex aerospace aerostructures parts out of India”, said Sukaran Singh, Managing director and CEO, Tata Advanced Systems, and Board Member of TBAL.
Boeing and Tata group companies have already established partnerships in India to manufacture aero-structures for Boeing’s commercial and military aircraft. Tata Advanced Materials had also delivered composite panels for the power and mission equipment cabinets and auxiliary power unit door fairings for the P-8I long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. TAL Manufacturing Solutions is currently manufacturing complex floor beams out of composite materials for the Boeing 787-9, the most modern aircraft with exceptional environmental and fuel-efficient capabilities. TAL is also manufacturing solutions for ground support equipment for the C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter.
Tata Advanced Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, focused on providing integrated solutions for Aerospace, Defence and Homeland Security. In a short span of five years, Tata Advanced Systems has become a significant player in the global Aerospace market, becoming the premier manufacturing partner for global OEMs, including Boeing, Airbus Group, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, Cobham Mission Equipment, RUAG Aviation, as well as the Government of India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation.
BW Reporters
Unnikrishnan is currently Senior Associate Editor with BW Businessworld at its Mumbai Bureau. During his two decades long journalistic career, he has received several media awards and recognitions. His articles on healthcare, life sciences and intellectual property rights (IPR) have been republished by several international blogs and journals.
