Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and French firm Safran Helicopter Engines have agreed to establish a support centre in India for national and international rotorcraft customers. The centre will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti engines that power HAL-built helicopters.
Safran and HAL will provide their customers with a first-class service including optimised engine availability,
- An agreement on the JV was signed by K. Venkatesh, director (engg, and R&D), HAL and Bruno Even, CEO-Turbomeca, at the ongoing Farnborough International Airshow in the presence of Suvarna Raju and Philippe Petitcolin, CEO-Safran.
- French aerospace firm Safran is a leading global manufacturer of gas turbine engines for both civil and military helicopters. With over 1,000 engines, including 250 TM333 and 250 Shakti, India’s armed forces is one of the largest operators of Safran-designed helicopter engines.
- Shakti is the Indian designation for the Safran’s Ardiden 1, co-developed with HAL and produced under a licence.
- The Shakti engine is fitted in HAL’s ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter) Dhruv and has been selected to power the HAL-designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), a three-ton single-engine chopper under development is also fitted with a Turbomeca engine.
- Serge Maillé, Safran Helicopter Engines Executive Vice President for Strategy and Development, said “this joint venture marks a new step in the long-lasting and fruitful partnership between Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)
Hindustan Aeronautics is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company based in Bangalore, Karnataka. It is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
- HAL was established as Hindustan Aircraft on 23 Dec 1940. Hindustan Aircraft Company was duly incorporated under the Mysore Companies Act as a private Ltd Company.
- HAL built the first military aircraft in South Asia. It is currently involved in the design, fabrication and assembly of aircraft, jet engines, helicopters and their spare parts.
