Lockheed Martin and India’s TATA Group have signed an agreement to produce fighter plane wings at their joint venture TATA Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL) in Hyderabad.
MoU between TATA and Lockheed Martin
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) envisions the production of 29 fighter wing shipsets, with the option of additional shipsets, with deliveries beginning in 2025, according to Lockheed Martin. TLMAL was formally recognized as a potential co-producer of fighter wings by Lockheed Martin in October 2021, following the successful production and qualification of a prototype fighter wing shipset.
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TLMAL was required to demonstrate the capability of performing detailed part manufacturing and delivery of a fully-compliant fuel-carrying 9-g, 12,000-hour, interchangeable/replaceable representative fighter wing through this prototype project, according to Lockheed Martin on Friday.
This accomplishment strengthens Lockheed Martin’s partnership with India and supports its F-21 offer for the procurement of 114 new fighter aircraft exclusively for India and the Indian Air Force by demonstrating additional indigenous production capability. The India F-21 represents a once-in-a-lifetime strategic and economic opportunity for the US-India relationship, as well as a catalyst for future advanced technology cooperation.
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About TLMAL (Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures)
TLMAL was formed as a joint venture by TATA Advanced Systems Limited and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in 2010. TLMAL is the sole global supplier of C-130J empennage assemblies, which are standard on all new Super Hercules aircraft. TLMAL has manufactured and delivered nearly 200 C-130J empennages to date.
“I am pleased with TATA Group’s collaboration with Lockheed Martin on this prestigious project. Despite the technological complexity involved, I would like to congratulate the TLMAL team on successfully industrializing and qualifying the fighter wing. I am confident that the initiative to manufacture fighter wings in India will help to strengthen India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem “TATA Sons Private Limited Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said.
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