PM Modi to inaugurate India's largest helicopter production facility in Karnataka's Tumakuru on Monday

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 4

A new helicopter production facility of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be inaugurated on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the 615-acre factory located at Tumakuru, Karnataka.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence will be present on the occasion.

It will be India’s largest helicopter-manufacturing facility and will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs). HAL already has a plant at Bangalore to produce helicopters.

The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed 3-tonne class, single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year. It can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 per year in a phased manner. The first LUH has been flight-tested and is ready for unveiling.

The factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future. Potential exports of civil LUH would also be catered to from this factory, the MoD said.

The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonnes, with a total business of over Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years. 

With the establishment of facilities like Heli-Runway, Flight Hangar, Final Assembly Hangar, Structure Assembly Hangar, Air Traffic Control and various supporting service facilities, the factory is fully operational.

The factory is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations.

The foundation stone of the facility was laid by PM Modi in 2016.

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