Bell Helicopter and Hindustan Aeronautics partnership deal

Bell and Rolls-Royce sign partnering deals with Hindustan Aeronautics ahead of light utility helicopter selection. Bell Helicopter and Rolls-Royce signed several deals in India last week under offset agreements linked to a forthcoming military helicopter tender, hinting that New Delhi could decide on the contract soon.

Bell, which is offering its 407 against Eurocopter's AS550C Fennec to meet a 197-aircraft light utility helicopter requirement for the Indian army, has announced plans for a $100 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit in India and a pilot training institute. It also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) for possible co-operation in the supply of airframe subassemblies and product support. The US company says it will produce only 60 of the aircraft at its facilities, with the rest to be manufactured at HAL's plants, says chief executive Michael Redenbaugh. The Indian firm already manufactures tail rotor blades for the Bell 206. R-R also signed an MoU with HAL last week, paving the way for the companies to collaborate on engine component design and manufacturing. The UK company is also partnering Bell in the army contest, because the 407s will be powered by its Model 250 engines. A large number of these will also be manufactured by HAL.

"The MoU could potentially involve a variety of work in India related to the design, manufacture and assembly of components for Rolls-Royce engines across aerospace segments," says the company. "Rolls-Royce will also open a supply chain office at HAL facilities." HAL has supplied ring forgings for R-R's Trent family of commercial engines since 2003, and is also involved in the repair and overhaul of Adour, Avon, Dart and Gnome power plants and industrial gas turbines. HAL also manufactures the Adour under licence for the Indian air force's Jaguar strike aircraft and will produce Adour 871s to power the service's Hawk 132Y advanced jet trainers from 2007. EADS subsidiary Eurocopter said in June that it plans to invest more than $1 billion in India over the next two years in a local subsidiary, a training school and an MRO centre. It also submitted joint bids with HAL for the Indian navy's 10t helicopter requirement, and is bidding for VIP helicopter contracts with the Indian air force.

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