HAL And UAC Sign Multirole Transport Aircraft Development Deal

India’s aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has signed the tripartite General Contract for the Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) project with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation -Transport Aircraft (UAC-TA) and partner JV-Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd. HAL will carry out the design & development of the project at its Aircraft R&D Centre in Bangalore, while the Transport Aircraft Division (TAD) in Kanpur will manufacture the prototypes. Manufacturing and flight testing will be conducted with the Russian team in Moscow and India. India’s objective will be to achieve self-reliance and indigenously develop the design and production of aircrafts. Cargo and troop transport will be the priority while structuring the aircraft, it will be designed to para or air drop of supplies including Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES) and is to be co-developed by HAL and UAC & Rosoboronexport of Russia through a Joint Venture Company (JVC). The current requirement is at 205, the Russian Air Force needs 100 aircraft while the Indian Air Force will receive 45 and the remaining 60 will be sold to other countries.