Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, which is one of the largest aerospace and defence companies in the world, joined hands with state-run defence player Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at HAL's accessories complex in Lucknow.
Once operational, the MRO facility will support all home-grown LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas Mk-1 operating in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to an official statement, the licensing and spares agreement will enable the facility to provide repair and overhaul on electrical power generation systems for LCA. The facility will offer repairs and overhaul services for Collins Aerospace's Integrated Drive Generators and the Generator Control Units that power some of the fighter jets.
"The new MRO facility expands upon our long-standing partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. We are fully committed to in-country, long-term sustainment of India's warfighter fleet," Ryan Hudson, the vice president of Aftermarket, Power & Controls at Collins Aerospace, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The capabilities of this facility can be scaled up in the future to cater to similar Collins Aerospace systems on other military platforms, it said.
"The establishment of an MRO facility will enhance self-reliance and result in reduced turn-around time in repair and will also enable HAL to provide better customer support for the LCA fleet. This MRO facility is also technically capable of meeting future requirements for new platforms," said D.K. Sunil, the chairman and managing director of HAL.
Collins Aerospace has supported the IAF for more than 80 years and has products on various platforms like the LCA Tejas Mk 1, C17, C295, C130J, P-8I, AH-64E, CH-47F and MH-60R, the statement added.
