HAL bets on Russia’s SJ100 for India: First leased jets in 18 months, assembly rollout in 3 years

Further there is an order from BSF for Dhruv NG choppers.

• HAL to start semi knock-down SJ100 aircraft roll-out in three years
• HAL targets 25 percent revenue from civil aviation in ten years
• Pawan Hans to procure 10 Dhruv NG helicopters for ONGC offshore operations

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Public sector aerospace major HAL is aiming to start rolling-out semi knock-down SuperJet 100 (SJ100) aircraft in its existing facilities in the next three years, the company CMD, DK Sunil said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, he said the company aims to achieve 25 per cent of its revenues from the civil aviation vertical in the next ten years from the existing 4-5 per cent.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) recently signed an agreement with Russia's Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) for the production of SJ-100 aircraft.

Sunil said the idea is to not wait for the production, but to deploy the aircraft as soon as possible. HAL would like to lease about 10 to 20 which can be bought from Russia directly in flyaway condition.

“The leasing is a separate track because we buy out the aircraft directly. Manufacturing is setting up the facilities. And, as I said, in three years we will do the roll-out in a semi knock-down condition. Bring all the assemblies, assemble it. That is the target in three years. So, bring in all the facilities, bring in the test equipment and get it going. That is the target for three years,” he said.

“In the next year or so, year and a half, we can get in about 10 aircraft. So, that is the idea that we are bringing in,” he said, adding that he is expecting a demand for over 200 SJ100 aircraft for Indian regional connectivity push.

“We see a good market of upwards of 200 aircraft for this size of India and you know in the local region. So, there is enough market for an aircraft of this size.

The HAL official said the company would commence production of SJ100 in its existing facilities in the next three-four years.

Sunil said the aerospace major is in touch with some companies in GIFT City in Gujarat on leasing issues.

Going forward, in the next three to four years down the line, the SJ 100 and helicopters are going to become a significant component of the company’s revenues.

He further said state-owned Pawan Hans Ltd will procure 10 Made-in-India Dhruv New Generation (NG) helicopters from HAL and deploy them for offshore operations of ONGC.

Further there is an order from BSF for Dhruv NG choppers.

Replying to a query, he said the company clocked Rs 31,000 crore revenues last year and this year it expects 7-8 per cent growth this fiscal.