Representation of the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter | Image: HAL
India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the French Safran Helicopter Engines have agreed to a workshare on the ‘joint development of the engine intended for the future 13-ton IMRH (Indian Multi-Role Helicopter) and its naval version DBMRH (Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter)’.
The agreement was signed at Aero India 2023 by Safran Helicopter Engines EVP for Sales and Marketing, Florent Chauvancy and the General Manager of HAL’s Aero Engine Research and Design Centre, K. Ramesh in the presence of HAL’s CMD, C.B. Ananthakrishnan and the CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines, Franck Saudo.
An HAL statement quoted C. B. Ananthakrishnan, as saying, “We are confident of making the engine meet the highly stringent and demanding requirements of Indian Defence customers.” Saudo said in the statement, “While this program will bring many advanced technologies to the Indian aerospace ecosystem and to HAL, it will also provide the Indian Armed Forces with state-of- the-art solutions.”
It follows an earlier ‘MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) signed on 8th July 2022 and stipulates the sharing of activities within the joint venture where both parties have agreed on an equivalent repartition’. ‘In particular, HAL will take part in the design, development, and production of some of the core engine components, which is a breakthrough achievement in terms of expertise and know-how in the country,’ said the statement.
While discussions with the Indian armed forces continue on the ‘operational requirements for this new helicopter’, the joint venture is also intended to produce engines for other helicopters. Part of the new agreement transfers to HAL the right to manufacture of ‘seven critical forging and casting raw parts, for further enhancement of indigenous content in the Shakti Engine’ that powers the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and the Prachand Light Combat Helicopter.
