On February 6, 2023, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will dedicate to the country a Helicopter Factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at Tumakuru, Karnataka, as another step toward “Aatmanirbharta” in defence. Senior Ministry of Defense personnel and Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be present.
The 615-acre Greenfield Helicopter Factory is being designed with the goal of serving as the nation’s one-stop shop for all helicopter needs. The plant, which is the biggest for making helicopters in India, will first create light utility helicopters (LUHs).
The LUH is a locally created, single-engine, multipurpose utility helicopter of the 3-ton class that has great manoeuvrability. This plant can gradually increase production from the initial 30 helicopters per year to 60 and finally 90 helicopters per year. After passing a flight test, the first LUH is prepared for public display.
To construct additional helicopters including Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters, the factory will be expanded (IMRHs). In the future, it will also be used for LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), and IMRH Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul. From this factory, potential civil LUH exports will also be catered to.
Over the course of 20 years, HAL expects to construct over 1,000 helicopters weighing between 3 and 15 tonnes, doing business to the tune of more than Rs 4 lakh crores. In addition to creating direct and indirect jobs, the Tumakuru facility will contribute to the growth of the local community through its CSR initiatives, on which the corporation will invest a sizable amount of money. All of these will make life better for those who reside in the area.
The factory’s proximity to the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru would strengthen the area’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem and enable the construction of necessary infrastructure, including schools, colleges, and housing. Additionally, the community dwelling in the several adjacent Panchayats would have access to medical and health services.
The plant is now fully operational thanks to the construction of facilities including the Heli-Runway, Flight Hangar, Final Assembly Hangar, Structure Assembly Hangar, Air Traffic Control, and many supporting service facilities. Modern Industry 4.0 best practises tools and procedures are being installed in this factory for its operations.
In 2016, the Prime Minister lay the building’s foundation stone. The Prime Minister’s goal of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” in helicopter design, development, and production will receive much-needed support from this factory, which will allow India to meet its complete requirement for helicopters without importing.
