HAL Pushes for Homegrown Cargo Transporter to Stay Afloat in MTA Race

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India's state-owned aerospace giant, is pushing for the development of a fully indigenous cargo transporter.

This move comes as HAL feels the pressure of potential exclusion from the upcoming Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. The development of an indigenous platform also plays into India's increasing focus on self-reliance in defense.

HAL's push for an indigenous solution comes on the heels of a private Indian company's successful execution of the C-295 transport aircraft order, marking a historical first for the country's defense sector.

Sources familiar with the MTA program confirm HAL's advocacy for a domestically developed cargo aircraft. This approach aligns with the government's goal of bolstering India's self-reliance in military technology and could offer long-term advantages in maintenance and upgrades.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief's recent announcement regarding the replacement of its aging An-32 and IL-76 fleets with MTAs by 2030 and beyond presents a highly lucrative opportunity.

The potential for an order potentially exceeding 100 aircraft over the next two decades makes the MTA tender a highly desirable contract for defense contractors worldwide.

India's decision to withdraw from the collaborative MTA program with Russia, in which HAL held a key role, deprived the company of a pre-existing design for the IAF's needs.

Furthermore, several foreign aerospace companies interested in the IAF's tender have opted to partner with private Indian firms. This strategic move could potentially marginalize HAL if it doesn't put forward a compelling domestic solution.

The Indian government and the IAF are faced with a critical choice. Will they favor the potential long-term benefits of a fully indigenous aircraft spearheaded by HAL, or will the lure of established foreign platforms and partnerships with the private sector prove more appealing?

Ultimately, the coming months will prove pivotal in shaping the future of India's military transport aircraft capabilities and HAL's role within it.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Its one thing to pitch it, with a solid plan to realistically develop the platform on a very tight deadlines but its quite a different issue when even they know that they do not have any realistic chance of developing it on a timeline that is in sync with IAF transport fleet modernization plan.

You may be right, but this type of behaviour is standard. More competition is a good thing. We should encourage it. If HAL wants to compete, let them present a detailed plan.

 

[NSR]

to do homework and come up with a solid plan to design and build one indigenously.

What country are you living man?

India failed to design even simple regional passenger plane so far to attempt to design a military transport.
Come to reality, keyboard warrior.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

What country are you living man?

India failed to design even simple regional passenger plane so far to attempt to design a military transport.
Come to reality, keyboard warrior.

Well u seem to have answered ur own point. What has changed Now from Then? If they could not design and build it back then, what makes u think they can do it now?

So why bother wasting our effort on fools errand that in most probability would be delayed endlessly and would push back IAF transport fleet modernization.

 

[Paul]

That I agree with. But as it seems acquiring rights to license assemble within India also has its own perks. One of them would be relatively lower labor costs and capacity building for taking more complex projects at a later date.

We have to depend on the OEM for any modifications, etc. For example, HAL produced Su-30MKI at an estimated cost of around $62 million per aircraft, which is approximately $22 million higher than the Su-30 jets supplied by Russia. These are not my words, but rather taken from the news. The same applies to all projects despite lower labor costs.

 

[Deepak Hegde]

Screw driving is a metaphor, not meant literally

Problem is Indian private companies are dhandomaxxers.

Total shameless and only care for profit. Nation can go down..

Tata Mahindra.. Making cars for dacades still they import engines from Germany...

It's not a symptom it's the disease

The DPSU's are the disease. Totally shameless, only care for salary and chai samosa. Nation can go down ! DPSU's manufacturing same old obsolete things for decades, still cant do competently or on time. Worse still, now under the cover of atmanirbharta, they want a fast pass for incompetence and timeless delays. DPSU's are nothing but shameless black holes. Earlier they are shut, the better!

 

[Deepak Hegde]

That I agree with. But as it seems acquiring rights to license assemble within India also has its own perks. One of them would be relatively lower labor costs and capacity building for taking more complex projects at a later date.

Lower labor costs are not really true as Indian productivity is one of the lowest in the world !

 

[Arz786]

Again, a country that can design forth plus generational planes with a higher composite ratio then f-22 f-35 and many planes on the market, why not try to make a light weight medium transport plane and heavy lift plane, but some would rather lose trillions of dollars economy by losing important talent due to brain drain for some bstrads hatred for all things Indian keeping India a regressive colony and slave.

Yes, we have been developing SARAS ( 19 seater) since 1993. This was similar to Do-228. However, 30 years and many hundred crores of rupees, what do we have ? a generation of employees who joined, got promoted and retired on this program with no certified aircraft yet !

 

[Frank]

The DPSU's are the disease. Totally shameless, only care for salary and chai samosa. Nation can go down ! DPSU's manufacturing same old obsolete things for decades, still cant do competently or on time. Worse still, now under the cover of atmanirbharta, they want a fast pass for incompetence and timeless delays. DPSU's are nothing but shameless black holes. Earlier they are shut, the better!

agree.. but our private companies are no better.. only import screw driver and make profit...

only strong leader can change that..

alas..

 

[Arz786]

Remember that TATA only assembles the body C-295 and screw drives the sub-assemblies.
All of avionics and landing gear comes from Spain, France, etc
TATA does not manufacture them in India it only connects male connector to female connector, installs and screw drives.

I hope it will not be the same with MTA too.
Embraer has not sold many and India will buy many so Embraer must roll out a best offer.

Lockheed Martin is also offering a local production deal but its cargo capacity is at the lower end of requirements.
India needs a bigger aircraft.

Tata also makes the entire airframe of C-295 in Hyderabad, Then assemble of airframe with engine, avionics etc. takes place in Gujarat. i think around 20% will be indigenous therefore.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

We have to depend on the OEM for any modifications, etc. For example, HAL produced Su-30MKI at an estimated cost of around $62 million per aircraft, which is approximately $22 million higher than the Su-30 jets supplied by Russia. These are not my words, but rather taken from the news. The same applies to all projects despite lower labor costs.

Thats true. Lower labor costs only go as far, and the cost of licensing fees more or less evens out any gains. The only benefit is capacity building and jon creation. Also, to a certain extent private sector can license assemble far more efficiently than PSU.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

You may be right, but this type of behaviour is standard. More competition is a good thing. We should encourage it. If HAL wants to compete, let them present a detailed plan.

As I have said previously, I have no issues with HAL presenting a comprehensive, detailed plan, provided its realistic and achievable. They seem to love giving absurd fantastical development schedules, which even they realize is just untenable.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

HAL has lots of due "homeworks"
Fighter jets - Tejas Mk 1A, Tejas Mk 2, AMCA, TEDBF
Trainers - HTT-40, HJT-36
Helicopters - NUH, IMRH...

They are not able to complete simple projects like trainer aircraft which they have already done in the past. Now, they are expecting to design and build a completely new transport aircraft about which they have no idea, nor any experience or infrastructure.

Dude they are not homework rather they are incomplete notes which we had to go to our friends house to complete sometimes. Every one of the project is delayed and they want to grab more project when they cant eve deliver whats already been ordered.

 

[Prashu Sam]

Please keep HAL away.

This is not 2075 delivery date.

HAL do the work on time what you have and then prove that you qualify for such bids

 

[GMR]

To understand HAL, we need Nirvan as described by Gautam Budh.🙏 common public, like us, will never realise HAL's efficiency & capability..

 

[Prashu Sam]

This Atmanirbharta is only solution.

But I don't trust Hal also... They are not capable of it.. They are completely incompetent plus they are liers...

Plus we don't have kaveri engine.

What do we do???

If TAta or Ambani take this challenge...

Except engine, rest avionics, body,... Can be developed locally by hal/tata/ambani So at least it will be 70 local..

Embrarer or airbus... Will be 0% local. 100% import +screw driving

Whatever can deliver the fastest at this time. We are already lagging as usual and should not waste decades of discussion as we do about AMCA and MRFA.

Keep HAL away. Give it to private sector who can deliver at fast phas

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Lower labor costs are not really true as Indian productivity is one of the lowest in the world !

HAL productivity is lowest. L&T and other private sector are quite productive in their operations.

 

[Frank]

Whatever can deliver the fastest at this time. We are already lagging as usual and should not waste decades of discussion as we do about AMCA and MRFA.

Keep HAL away. Give it to private sector who can deliver at fast phas

No most crucial thing right now is should we go Atmanirbhar.

If not now then never

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Better do choose a plane from a foreign firm that actually exists than go for HAL's offer of a plane that only exists in imagination. HAL should focus solely on the Tejas programme and adhere to their production timeline.
Being a big customer is the second best thing after being able to produce it ourselves. Our problem is that our politicians, bureaucrats and military officers are properly unable to leverage our position as "big customer" to obtain favourable deals.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Atmanirbhar have to be started somewhere

Atmanirbharta is a political slogan, as devoid of substance as say, Swatch Bharat. With significant R&D spending (both by the Govt. and also by private companies) we cannot hope to make world class products.

 

[beencensured]

Yes, we have been developing SARAS ( 19 seater) since 1993. This was similar to Do-228. However, 30 years and many hundred crores of rupees, what do we have ? a generation of employees who joined, got promoted and retired on this program with no certified aircraft yet !

Think small live small is nothing but shamelessness. Saras has never been that kind of project but a technical demonstrator. We need national project of Heavy lift aircraft and MTA. It needs to be done , now.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Think small live small is nothing but shamelessness. Saras has never been that kind of project but a technical demonstrator. We need national project of Heavy lift aircraft and MTA. It needs to be done , now.

What makes u think they are even remotely capable of building a heavy lift cargo aircraft, when they failed to build Saras aircraft, that wad far more simple and even lacked pressurized cabin.

 

[Agent Provocateur1]

Means we will have to wait for 50 years!!
HAL has been assembling Avro HS748 since 1960, German Dornier since 1970.

Yet in 2024, they say they will create a transporter!!

Redesigned Avro HS748 now property of BAE systems , UK can cut import of French ATR72 for civilian use.

Dornier tied up with Fairchild of USA to create a narrow body jet Do728. Project failed because Fairchild pulled out.

Point is HAL must stop behaving like those money wasting Bureaucrats and do something productive for a change.

IMO, Govt of India must talk to BAE systems, Dornier for transfer of the license to an interested private company, If successful, some menial work can be transferred to HAL as subcontractor.

 

[Fly]

Haha
Sounds ridiculous but we need to start somewhere 😮‍💨

 

[amerjit johal]

My fear is that I will pass away due to old age - before I get to see these exciting developments.

 

[Sudha]

HAL should also include civilian aircraft variant in its plan

Let them first complete what they have contracted for, ages ago. 😂