After engine pact with France, HAL opens new testing facility

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, December 29

Maintaining its trajectory to absorb and produce latest technology for making helicopter and aircraft engines, public sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) today opened a new design and test facility at its Aero Engine Research and Development Centre (AERDC) in Bengaluru.

Equipped with two test-beds

• The 10,000 sq ft facility has one test-bed each for turbo-fan and helicopter engines
• Will also be used to test engine to be co-developed by French firm Safran and HAL
• Houses advanced setups leveraging on computational tools and in-house fabrication facility

“The state-of-the-art facility, spanning around 10,000 square feet, houses special machines, advanced setups leveraging on computational tools, in-house fabrication facility and two test-beds—one each for turbo-fan engine and helicopter engine,” the Ministry of Defence said. It will also be used to test helicopter engine to be co-developed by French firm Safran and HAL. The engine is to be fitted in the new 13-tonne Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), which India is designing and plans to produce. It is expected to replace the Russian Mi-17 helicopters in the Indian Air Force fleet. Its naval variant, Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH), has been planned too and is being designed simultaneously. The IMRH is expected to be launched in 2027.

Master technology

HAL should focus on mastering technologies for all types of aircraft. Giridhar Aramane, Defence Secretary

HAL and Safran had in February this year announced a tie-up to produce the engine for the 13-tonnne helicopter. As per the agreement, HAL will participate in the design, development and production of the core engine components.

The new AERDC facility will also be used for design and development of new engines, including two strategic ones—Hindustan Turbo Fan Engine (HTFE) of 25 kN thrust for powering trainers, UAVs, twin-engine small fighter aircraft or regional jets; and the second being Hindustan Turbo Shaft Engine (HTSE) of 1,200 kN thrust for powering light and medium weight helicopters (3.5 to 6.5 tonnes in single or twin-engine configuration). This engine is different from the one being made for the IMRH.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, who inaugurated the facility, said, “HAL should focus on mastering technologies for all types of aircraft. Think ahead as the entire paradigm of warfare is changing.”

CB Ananthakrishnan, HAL CMD, said, “The development of this facility marks a key milestone in HAL’s growth trajectory. It is a testimony of HAL’s commitment towards achieving self-reliance in aero-engine design and development.”

Safran already has a joint venture with HAL to manufacture engines for the advanced light helicopter (ALH), weighing 5.5 tonnes. Some 284 of these twin-engine helicopters are flying. This is the only helicopter to be designed and manufactured in India while the rest are of the US, Russian, French and the UK origin.