New Delhi: Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), a joint venture between US firm Boeing and India’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), has rolled out its 400th fuselage for the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, marking a milestone in Tata’s nearly two-decade journey in aerospace manufacturing.
The Apache is regarded as one of the most advanced and combat-proven attack helicopters in its class.
The fuselage was manufactured at TBAL’s 52,000-square-metre facility in Hyderabad. The fuselages manufactured in India are integrated into complete aircraft supplied to customers worldwide, including the US Army. The facility has also supplied fuselages for the Indian Army’s Apache fleet of six helicopters.
The Indian Air Force separately operates 22 AH-64E Apaches.
The journey to the 400th fuselage began with India signing the contract for 22 Apache helicopters on 28 September 2015 that came with an offset clause.
On 9 November 2015, TASL and Boeing signed an agreement to establish the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited, with the manufacture of Apache fuselages in India forming a key part of the partnership.
TBAL supplied its first Apache fuselage on 1 June 2018. With the 400th fuselage now rolled out, the programme has averaged roughly 48 fuselages a year, or about four a month, since the first delivery.
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The TASL journey
The story of Tata’s aerospace ambitions goes back much further to 2006. Tata Advanced Systems was incorporated in 2006 as Tata Systems and Technologies Limited. It was renamed Tata Advanced Systems Limited in 2008.
The company began with no major defence contracts, but just the Tata name.
Within a couple of years, TASL entered into an agreement with Sikorsky Aircraft, now part of Lockheed Martin, to manufacture aerospace components in India. This was followed by a long-term programme to manufacture and assemble cabins for Sikorsky’s S-92 commercial helicopter.
The S-92 is also the helicopter used for the US presidential transport fleet.
The relationship with Lockheed Martin expanded further with the manufacture of components for the C-130J Super Hercules. Tata eventually became the global single-source supplier of C-130J empennages, the aircraft’s tail assembly.
Boeing was the next major milestone.
Tata developed a strategic relationship with the US aerospace giant that included manufacturing structures for the AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook programmes. The partnership helped move Tata higher up the aerospace manufacturing value chain, and established India as an important part of Boeing’s global supply chain.
In 2018, under Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran’s direction, the group consolidated several aerospace and defence businesses under TASL such as Tata Power SED, TAL Manufacturing, Tata Advanced Materials and Tata Motors’ defence business.
This transformed TASL from primarily an aerospace manufacturing company into Tata’s strategic aerospace and defence arm.
Tata’s next major leap came with the Airbus C295 programme.
India ordered 56 C295 aircraft from Airbus. The first 16 aircraft are being supplied from Spain, while the remaining 40 are being manufactured and assembled by Tata in India at its Vadodara facility.
And today, TASL is seeking to take the next step, bidding for India’s fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
What began in 2006 with a new Tata company and no major defence contract has evolved into one of India’s most significant private-sector aerospace and defence enterprises.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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