Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with one of India’s leading defense companies, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), to convert Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) in India. The local MMTT conversions will utilize India’s local defense ecosystem and support India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign. In addition to MMTT conversions, the MOU also includes commercial passenger-to-freighter conversions.
Building on over four decades of IAI’s experience converting aircraft across the world, HAL will convert pre-owned the aircrafts into cargo configuration with air refueling and transport capacity. This is a joint effort to provide India’s defense ecosystem with new capabilities and the most cost-effective and best-value solution available on the market. The aircraft life extension and full life-circle maintenance will be carried out by HAL in India. The MOU will combine IAI’s and HAL’s decades-long expertise in developing, manufacturing, and producing leading defense platforms.
R. Madhavan, CMD HAL: “We are glad to join hands with our long standing partner IAI in this venture of MMTT conversion business which is one of the strategic diversification avenue identified by HAL. This is a step forward not only for HAL and IAI but for the two friendly nations as well in furthering bi-lateral relations.”
Boaz Levy, IAI President and CEO: “We are proud to come together with our counterparts to bring our best-value MMTT solution to India, while utilizing the local resources to manufacture and market the platform. By collaborating with HAL and bringing MMTT conversion directly to India, we are supporting the important ‘Make in India’ campaign and relying on HAL and its supply chain ecosystem, manpower, and capabilities to create advanced platforms. IAI has over a dozen customers worldwide for its MMTT, and partnering with HAL will open the Indian market to the converted platform.”
Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI is Israel’s major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both military and civilian usage. Israel Aerospace Industries was founded in 1953 as Bedek Aviation Company under the initiative of Shimon Peres, then director general of the Ministry of Defense, in order to maintain Israel Defense Forces aircraft. The company originally had 70 employees and recruited American born aviation expert Al Schwimmer as the company’s founder and first president. It has 15,000 employees as of 2018. IAI is completely state-owned by the government of Israel. IAI designs, develops, produces and maintains civil aircraft, drones, fighter aircraft, missile, avionics, and space-based systems. Although IAI’s main focus is engineering, aviation and high-tech electronics, it also manufactures military systems for ground and naval forces. Many of these products are specially suited for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) needs, while others are also marketed to foreign militaries.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world today. HAL began aircraft manufacturing as early as 1942 with licensed production of Harlow PC-5, Curtiss P-36 Hawk and Vultee A-31 Vengeance for the Indian Air Force. HAL currently has 11 dedicated Research and development (R&D) centers and 21 manufacturing divisions under 4 production units spread across India. HAL is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by the President of India through the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. HAL is currently involved in designing and manufacturing of fighter jets, helicopters, jet engine and marine gas turbine engine, avionics, software development, spare supply, overhauling and upgrading of Indian military aircraft. The HAL HF-24 Marut fighter-bomber was the first indigenous fighter aircraft made in India.
