IAF chief visits HAL's Nashik facility

The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha Saturday visited the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) here that manufactures the frontline Sukhoi SU-30 MKI combat jet under license from Russia.

"The Indian Air Force, HAL and the defence production department are working together as an entity to meet the country's defence preparedness," Raha said after inaugurating an IAF warehouse at the aero-complex in Nashik, about 170 km from Mumbai.

The modern warehouse will store all types and aggregates and spares of Sukhoi, a frontline fleet of the Indian Air Force.

HAL officials made a presentation on Sukhoi to Raha, highlighting its latest technologies, manufacturing programme, technology absorption, contribution by vendors and road map for its indigenisation.

"We have rolled out 150 Sukhois till date, manufacturing the aircraft from the raw material phase, about 43,000 components of its airframe and 6,300 components for its engines, taking the indigenisation level up to 70 percent," the company said in a statement released in Bangalore.

Defence production secretary G.C. Pati, HAL chairman R.K. Tyagi and Nashik MiG complex managing director S. Subrahmanyan were present on the occasion.