Tata, Boeing Hyd plant delivers 100th Apache chopper fuselage

Hyderabad, July 23 Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), a joint venture between India's Tata Group and American aerospace giant Boeing on Friday announced the delivery of the 100th fuselage for AH - 64 Apache combat helicopter from its facility in Hyderabad.

The fuselage will be shipped to Boeing's AH - 64 Apache manufacturing facility at Mesa, Arizona, US for final integration in the assembly line.

"The achievement of 100th fuselage delivery for AH-64 within three years of the facility being operational reflects our strong ability to industrialize and ramp up complex aerospace programs and deliver with highest levels of quality," said Sukaran Singh, managing director and chief executive, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).

He said the milestone places the Telangana facility as a vital cog in the global supply chain for the famous battlefield Apache helicopters.

Singh noted that the facility underlines India's indigenous manufacturing capability to manufacture quality defence equipment, deploying cutting edge technology and promoting Indian aerospace and defence production ecosystem at a global scale.

Commemorating the milestone, Telangana Industries and Commerce Minister K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) said the milestone is a proud moment for the state.

"Our government is committed to providing all support necessary to make the state a preferred destination for global aviation and defence manufacturers. I congratulate Boeing and Tata for this milestone," said Rao.

Boeing India president Salil Gupte said TBAL is an example of Boeing's commitment towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defence not only for India but for the whole world.

"We have quadrupled our sourcing from India in the past two years to more than $1 billion. Skilled talent, robust infrastructure, ease of doing business and a highly responsive government administration make Telangana an ideal destination for the high-end manufacturing work," Gupte added.

Spread across 14,000 sq metres, TASL produces aero-structures for Apache, which include fuselages, secondary structures and vertical spar boxes for global customers.

Boeing recently added a new production line to produce complex vertical fin structures for the 737 aircraft family.