New Delhi: In a major boost to indigenisation, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the development and supply of 20 types of systems for the LCA Tejas Mk1A programme.
The 5-yr contract from 2023 to 2028 is valued at Rs 2400 Cr & involves supplying critical avionics Line Replaceable Units, flight control computers & night flying LRUs. It's the biggest ever order HAL has placed on any Indian company boosting the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.
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"LCA Tejas programme is an excellent example of synergies between Indian Defence establishments such as HAL, DRDO & BEL. The current order for development and supply of 20 types of critical avionics LRUs for Tejas Mk1A is a shot-in-the-arm for Make in India activity," HAL CMD R Madhavan was quoted as saying by PTI.
Meanwhile, BEL CMD Anandi Ramalingam said, "We are pleased to receive this order from HAL for the prestigious LCA Tejas programme and look forward to continuing strong partnership and joint success with HAL".
The order for the supply of these systems for the 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter fleet will be executed by two Divisions of BEL at Bengaluru and Panchkula (Haryana) and deliveries will commence from 2023-24. All the contracted items will be delivered by BEL to HAL in a ready-to-board condition, the statement said.
The home-grown fighter is slated to be equipped with indigenous flight control computers, air data computers which would also be supplied by BEL under this contract. These systems have been designed and developed by various labs of DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency, Bengaluru.
The contract documents were handed over by General Manager LCA Tejas Division, HAL, E P Jayadeva to General Manager (EW&A) BEL, Manoj Jain.
"This is the biggest ever order that HAL has placed on any Indian company boosting 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' campaign," it said, according to PTI.