Contract inked with UAC-TA of Russia and joint
venture partner MTAL
The $600-million Indo-Russian military transport
aircraft project, the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA), moved a significant
step forward, with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and its two partners signing
the initial design phase contract in New Delhi on Friday.
The agreement comes ahead of the state visit of
Russian President Vladimir Putin, beginning on October 31.
The Bangalore-based HAL inked the contract with
the United Aircraft Corporation-Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA) of Russia, and
their 50:50 joint venture partner, Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd (MTAL). The
three signed the earlier general contract in May this year.
The MTA, when developed, will have ready market
for 205 aircraft — 45 for the Indian Air Force, 100 for the Russian Air Force,
and 60 more for exporting to friendly countries.
The 15-20-tonne aircraft is meant to transport
troops and cargo, paradrop or airdrop supplies, including a ‘low-altitude
parachute extraction system’.
It will be developed by HAL, UAC and the Russian
Defence export arm, Rosoboronexport, through MTAL.
“HAL and UAC-TA will start the initial design
work immediately in Moscow. A HAL team, consisting of 30 designers, will be
positioned at UAC-TA,” a HAL release said, citing HAL’s Chairman R.K. Tyagi,
who was present at the signing event. The 10-month initial design phase will be
followed by a Detailed Design Phase contract (DDP), under which the design of
the plane will be finalised.
Initiated in November 2007, the MTA project is
meant to make the country self-reliant in the design, development and
production of transport aircraft of this dimension, and the experience required
to manage a large number of global suppliers.
The latest contract was signed by T.
Suvarnaraju, HAL’s Director (Design and Development), and S. Velmozhkin,
General Director, UAC-TA.
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