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US Aerospace major Lockheed Martin and Tata Group have reached an agreement to begin the implementation of fighter wing production at the companies' joint venture, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) in Hyderabad.
According to an official statement, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) envisions the production of 29 fighter wing shipsets, with an option of additional shipsets and deliveries commencing in 2025. Lockheed Martin formally recognized TLMAL as a potential co-producer of fighter wings in October 2021 following TLMAL's successful production and qualification of a prototype fighter wing shipset. Through this prototype project, TLMAL was required to demonstrate the capability to perform detailed part manufacturing and delivery of a fully compliant fuel-carrying 9-g, 12,000-hour, interchangeable/replaceable representative fighter wing, the statement said. That achievement further strengthened Lockheed Martin's partnership with India and supports its F-21 offering for procurement of 114 new fighter aircraft -- exclusively for India and the Indian Air Force -- by proving additional indigenous production capability. The India F-21 represents an unprecedented strategic and economic opportunity for the United States-India relationship and represents a catalyst to future advanced technology cooperation, the statement said. "This MOU between Lockheed Martin and Tata Group further exemplifies Lockheed Martin's commitment to a self-reliant India and the degree of confidence that exists in our relationships with our partners in India," said Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO James Taiclet. "Lockheed Martin's 21st-century security vision aims to deliver integrated mission-focused defence capabilities with innovation and urgency, and with that, we are one of the only aerospace companies with a complex aerostructure capability for advanced fighters in India. This strong partnership embodies our principle of For India, From India, For the World," added Taiclet. Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics established TLMAL as a joint venture in 2010. TLMAL demonstrates the government of India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat 'Make in India' and 'Skills India' goals and serves as the single global source of C-130J empennage assemblies that are installed on all new Super Hercules aircraft. To date, TLMAL has manufactured and delivered nearly 200 C-130J empennages. "I am proud of the Tata Group's partnership with Lockheed Martin on this prestigious project. I would like to congratulate the TLMAL team for successfully industrializing and qualifying the fighter wing in spite of the technological complexity involved. I am confident the initiative of manufacturing fighter wings in India will go a long way in strengthening the aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem in India," said Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services, said the company statement. Tata Advanced Systems Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons focused on providing integrated solutions for aerospace, defence and homeland security. In less than a decade, Tata Advanced Systems has become a significant player in the global aerospace market, becoming the premier manufacturing partner for global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as the government of India's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the statement added. (ANI)
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