India may seek new partners for transport aircraft

India could seek new partners for its armed forces' military Multi-role Transport Aircraft programme, with a five-year-old joint Indo-Russian joint venture in danger of collapsing following a disagreement over its funding.
Prime contractor Hindustan Aeronautics, products.asp the Indian state-owned aerospace major, has reportedly approached other Western companies with a view to possible collaboration on the development and joint manufacture of 60t transport aircraft.
A response is expected in the next two months and HAL will then study the submissions before making a recommendation to the Indian Cabinet, which will decide on the programme's fate by the end of 2007.
Under the 2002 deal, HAL and a Russian consortium comprising Irkutsk Aviation and Ilyushin Aviation were to each contribute $350 million to the joint venture.
HAL was to design the front fuselage and wing and the Russian companies the rear and centre fuselage. HAL could also help in developing the avionics, while engines could be supplied by Pratt & Whitney or Russian manufacturers.
07/08/07 Siva Govindasamy/Flight International

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Categories: Foreign Aug 2007, General Aviation Aug 2007, New Aug 2007