KKCI dispatches mission consoles to BAE Systems

Kineco Kaman Composites India (KKCI) made its first commercial dispatch of composite mission consoles to BAE Systems for the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, KKCI announced on Wednesday.

"Kineco Kaman is proud to mark this significant milestone and make the maiden dispatch of a 'Made in India' product for a prestigious program such as the Boeing P8 Poseidon," said Shekhar Sardessai, chairman and MD, KKCI in a statement.

KKCI is a joint venture between Kineco Group of Goa and Bloomfield, Connecticut headquartered Kaman Aerospace Group.

BAE Systems initiated sourcing composite mission consoles from India for supplying mission computing and display system for Boeing's P-8 aircraft as part of its commitment to help develop aerospace and defence industrial capabilities in India, the statement added.

BAE Systems teams developed KKCI's capabilities for the last 18 months to achieve readiness for the production of composite mission consoles which are a complex assembly of carbon composite and glass composite panels with numerous metallic inserts, the statement added.

The P-8 is a navy aircraft being built by Boeing. Its capabilities include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and long range maritime reconnaissance.

Kineco supplies composite structures to India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and defence agencies while Kaman operates in aerospace and distribution markets.