HAL confirms timetable for Su-30 and MIG-21 upgrades, although progress may be slower than first anticipated (261 words)

Published: 9/21/2001

N.R.Mohanty, newly appointed Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has announced that, on 1st December 2001, the company will start production of the Su-30 at its five facilities, Koraput, Korva, Lkhnau, and Haidarabad, as part of the licensed production of 140 of the aircraft, with the first aircraft due to be completed in 2004. Mohanty added that HAL's upgrade of the MiG-21-93s was also making progress since the first two aircraft rolled out of Naslik in June, with one of the aircraft making its first flight on 31st August. According to Mohanty, the programme to upgrade the remaining 123 aircraft will take four-five years: a timescale that is a little longer the target of 2004 anticipated by HAL earlier this year. In May, HAL also indicated that it would have completed six aircraft before the year-end, followed by as many as twelve in 2002. India's need for the upgraded aircraft and an advanced trainer was again highlighted by the crash of yet another MiG-21 after reportedly catching fire in mid air above Sriganagar on 17th September, one of the over 170 Indian MiG-21 casualties. There have been a number of incidents this year, including an aircraft reported to have lost control on the border with Pakistan in April. While the Indian Air Force (IAF) is reported to consider that it has resolved the problem of pilot error on the aircraft, the crashes this year would suggest otherwise.

Article ID: 2769