An entire new factory will be set up in India by Boeing, the aerospace giant. It will manufacture the fighter aircraft F/A-18 Super Hornet, said program vice president Dan Gillian.
According to Gillian, India presents tremendous opportunities for the supply and manufacture of avionics, engine parts and landing gear components. He was talking to a visiting Indian team. The aircraft is a dual seat fighter.
The initiative will feature under the ‘Make in India’ campaign. Boeing India’s President, Pratyush Kumar, called it the “crown jewel project.”
It will be similar to the present Super Hornet production system in St.Louis, U.S.A. Currently, it is supported by 800 vendors in 44 states and employs almost 60,000 people.
Pratyush Kumar further added , “India could not only look forward to manufacturing the Block II Super Hornet and even an Advanced Super Hornet but also help it design and build an Indian-made ‘next generation’ fighter.” It would definitely help in advancing the country’s aerospace potential.
Boeing’s top officials clarified that they have discussed everything with the U.S. government. What actually gave them the confidence to set up such a big plant in India was “the fact that it (India) had the DNA and scale to do this.”
The company is still conducting a series of discussions with the Tier 1 manufacturing partners and every partner, big or small, will have a role in this program.
It was also mentioned that the Super Hornet will be U.S.’s front line fighter and would be serving till around 2040.
Indian Vendors
A number of Indian companies will be part of the Super Hornet vendor chain.
Rossell Techsys will supply wire, SasMos HET Technologies electrical bundles, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will provide wire bundles and gun door bays and lastly, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will make the electrical panels.
