Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies and a leading supplier of aerospace and defence products, will concentrate on bringing the manufacturing of advanced aerostructures, interiors, and avionics to India, according to Sunil Raina, MD, Customer and Account Management, Collins Aerospace.
In addition to the three focus areas, they are keen on working with HAL and the ADA on the LCA Mk2, the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). He told businessline, “Building upon our success on the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Mk 1 program, we are eager to work with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on new aircraft platforms under development in India, including the LCA Mk2, TEDBF, and AMCA Programs.”
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In terms of the avionics business, he stated that it has moved forward, and an announcement with one of the local companies to integrate those systems with one of the local manufacturers is in the pipeline.
The company is also looking to work with HAL Bengaluru and Lucknow on sustaining legacy platforms used by the Indian Air Force (IAF), such as Jaguars and Hawks, through the provisioning of spares and repairs of systems to ensure the sustainability of these legacy platforms over the next several decades.
Raina said, “As of now, we are working with HAL on setting up licensed repairs and overhauls of some key systems on platforms currently in use by the IAF.”
Bullish demand
The commercial demand climate is bullish due to many developments, including the latest Air India deal and the entry of newer competitors like Aakasa Air into the market, explained Raina.
He added, “Commercially, we have been in the country almost since the aircraft arrived. There is an increasing number of aircraft coming to the country, be it civil aviation or corporate aircraft. Because we are present everywhere, there will be many Collins products on those platforms, including larger aircraft like Boeing and Airbus, as well as smaller aircraft like Bombardier.”
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Furthermore, the company is working with 200 suppliers in the country and is looking to expand its operations in India. “We are looking for partners from the local MSME in India. We are trying to figure out what could be the best strategy for us as Collins Aerospace, which is either to have a JV or a strategic partnership,” said Raina.
In December, the company announced an investment of $200 million in India.