HAL, Safran to form JV in India to support helicopter MRO

State run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and French manufacturer Safran Helicopter Engines have agreed to set up a support centre in India for national and international rotorcraft customers.
The centre will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti engines that power HAL-built helicopters, country's aircraft maker said in a statement here.
Safran and HAL will provide their customers with a first-class service including optimised engine availability, the statement added.
French aerospace firm Safran is a leading global manufacturer of gas turbine engines for both civil and military helicopters.
With over 1,000 engines, including 250 TM333 and 250 Shakti, India's armed forces is one of the largest operators of Safran-designed helicopter engines.

Shakti is the Indian designation for the Safran's Ardiden 1, co-developed with HAL and produced under license, it said.

HAL Chairman and MD T Suvarna Raju said the joint venture will provide the impetus for the 'Make-in-India' initiative since around 1000 Shakti engines are likely to fly in the coming years.
An agreement on the JV was signed yesterday by D K Venkatesh, Director (Engg, and R&D), HAL and Bruno Even, CEO-Turbomeca, at the ongoing Farnborough International Airshow (July 11-17) in the presence of Suvarna Raju and Philippe Petitcolin, CEO-Safran.
Shakti is fitted to HAL's ALH - advanced light helicopter (Dhruv) and has been selected to power HAL-designed light combat helicopter (LCH).

The new light utility helicopter (LUH), a three-ton single-engine chopper under development, is also fitted with a Turbomeca engine.