Bengaluru: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has the experience and technical skills to produce the Russian-origin fifth-generation fighter jet, Sukhoi-57 (Su-57), in India, the company’s chairman and managing director (CMD) Ravi K said.
He also spoke on how the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A jet was undergoing ‘final integration of missiles and radars’ and was likely to be ready for delivery in a ‘couple of months’, in an interview with The Tribune.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is in need of both Tejas Mk-1A and a fifth generation stealth fighter like the Su-57. It had ordered a total of 180 Tejas Mk-1A jets, deliveries of which were originally scheduled to commence in March 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Sukhoi-57 when they met in New Delhi last week on the sidelines of the BRICS Leaders’ Summit.
With India seeking the transfer of technology, HAL, a public-sector company owned by the Ministry of Defence, is expected to be the natural partner for receiving this technology.
When asked if HAL could make the Sukhoi-57 here, Ravi said: “Yes. In the past, we have made the Sukhoi-30MKI here in HAL. Most of the required facilities and technical manpower are available in India.”
Referring to a Russian team’s assessment of HAL’s facilities, the CMD said almost 40 per cent of the facilities for making the aircraft already exist, while a few more investments were needed.
Ravi was forthright about the Tejas Mk-1A jets. “Currently, we have a few integration tests of missiles and radars that are yet to be completed. We are continuously working on these two parameters. So, hopefully, maybe in another couple of months, we will be able to resolve these. We are yet to achieve the last five per cent of the specifications (needed by the IAF),” he said.
Asked about how many Tejas Mark 1-A jets HAL needed to produce annually to cover the backlog, he said the firm had to produce 24 to 30 planes annually from 2027.
“Currently, 27 air frames of the Tejas Mk-1A are ready, Ten engines have been received from the US firm, General Electric, and a few more engines are expected by December,” he said.
On the pending joint venture of HAL and General Electric to produce the F414 engine for the next generation of jets, Ravi said, “We have completed all the technical negotiations. The GE is expected to come back with a commercial offer by October.”
The HAL CMD also expressed confidence on making 156 light-combat helicopters on order, saying “As off today, we do not see any hindrance in meeting that particular target.”
Regarding the pending clearance for the light-utility helicopter, Ravi said the firm was confident that all issues would be resolved by December.
HAL will hand over two Tejas training jets and the first set of basic trainer aircraft, HTT-40, for rookie pilots to the IAF on Friday.
It will also deliver four Dhruv next-generation helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited at an event in Bengaluru.
