Giant Leap
Winds of change envelope the HAL Nasik division
A FORCE Report
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Ojhar (Nasik): The transformation underway in the Indian Air Force is rapidly changing the HAL Nasik division as well. On an exclusive visit to the division, it was not difficult for the FORCE team to notice the sudden spurt of technology that has come here, and how it is being harnessed in a cost-effective and timely fashion. The Su-30MKI transfer of technology is a giant leap from anything that has been done here since the HAL Nasik division was established in 1964 to license-produce the MiG-21FL aircraft and K-13 missiles. Over the years, the division has jocularly been referred to as the Russian division as all subsequently licensed-produced Soviet Union and Russian aircraft have been made there. A mini-Russian township exists within the complex and the village Ojhar where the division is located is called Ojhar-MiG. As if by a providential coincidence, spectacular changes within the HAL complex have affected the surroundings as well. Wineries meeting global standards dot the landscape around the HAL township; a visit to the Renaissance winery close to the HAL factory will be a complementary experience for wine lovers.
Since 2002, many massive buildings have been added to the HAL Nasik Aircraft Manufacturing Division (AMD) to,... |
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produce the Su-30MKI. In terms of technology strides, Su-30MKI is a fourth generation plus aircraft, with twin-engine and twin–cockpit, 12 hard points for weapons, thrust vectoring engine,air to air refuelling capability, and with a liberal use of titanium for machining, forming, welding, chemical milling and so on. The perception in people’s mind is that license production means that complete aircraft kits come from Russia. All that HAL does is puts them together. This is incorrect. In effect, complete designs of Su-30MKI have been given by Russia which has supplied raw material also. Thereafter, in four phases, the AMD is manufacturing the aircraft from supplied raw material. At each stage, Russian supervisors, as per the contract, are available at hand to assess that the work is being done to specifications. The only exception to this are certain items like the undercarriage and ejection seats where Russia has not transferred technology; it has been mutually agreed that doing so would lead to project delays. While HAL officials at AMD were tight-lipped, it is well known that HAL will manufacture a total of 140 aircraft of which nearly 50 have already been handed over to the customer (IAF). Considering that work on Phase IV (see interview) started beginning this year, by manufacturing a total of 110 complete aircraft from raw material, HAL will indeed accumulate enormous experience in making the state-of-the-art Su-30MKI. As the FORCE team was taken around the workshops and assembly line, it was clear that from the top to bottom, all HAL employees working on Su-30MKI are conscious of handling new technologies.
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