The country has gained expertise in making air frames but is lagging behind in other aggregates like avionics, display, machine computers and the likes in the total aircraft design. Hence, there is tremendous opportunity for the private sector to come in, said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju on Thursday.
Similarly, the public sector defence unit involved in building 17 products indigenously, 14 built with licensed production and servicing 4,800 airplanes of different kinds, is also undertaking upgradation of fighter planes like the Jaguars and Mirages.
Therefore, the private sector can join hands with HAL in all these arenas to create an ecosystem as the Central Government too is actively promoting domestic industrial base. While the basic air frame could remain in service for about 35-40 years, the avionics and navigational aspects of the airplane need to be upgraded or replaced at least twice in the machine lifetime, pointed out Dr. Raju.
He was addressing the inaugural session of the fourth edition of two-day ‘Deftronics’ focusing on manufacturing, capacity building, new technologies and gives a fillip to start-ups in the aerospace and defence sectors organised by the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA).
HAL is into manufacturing the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), and also four variants of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) with the government recently clearing the first squadron for the Indian Army to be stationed on the borders.
Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister G. Satheesh Reddy said indigenisation of defence systems and products had come a long way with 90% being developed within the country whether in missiles, radars, sonors, sensors, etc. Pointing out that DRDO labs alone cannot do end to end solutions for defence or aerospace systems, he wanted the private industry to scale up by developing the design capability.
Later, Minister for IT, Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao welcomed the event in the capital and rooted for making it a permanent annual venue since the city has a well developed ecosystem.