HAL, Safran Joint Venture To Support Helicopter MRO

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines have signed an agreement to form a joint venture support center in India to provide Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for Safran TM333 and HAL Shakti engines.

The agreement was signed by DK Venkatesh, Director, Engg, and R&D, HAL, and Bruno Even, CEO-Turbomeca, at the ongoing Farnborough International Airshow in the presence of T Suvarna Raju, CMD-HAL and Philippe Petitcolin, CEO-Safran.

HAL Shakti engines power HAL built helicopters.  Shakti is an HAL-Safran co-developed engine and produced under licence in India. Shakti is an Indian designation for Safran’s Ardiden 1 engines.

Shakti is fitted to HAL’s ALH-Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) and has been selected to power the HAL-designed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), a three-ton single-engine chopper under development is also fitted with a Turbomeca engine.