Indian Air Force's desire to get Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to improve working efficiency between the services and the public sector seems to have run into rough weather.
The desire of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to get one of its men helm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to improve coordination and working efficiency between the services and the public sector unit seems to have run into rough weather.
Even as the IAF is looking to break the stranglehold exercised by bureaucrats in running the Bangalore-headquartered HAL by pushing for the appointment of an officer of the rank of Air Marshal as its next chairman, the ministry of defence appears to have shot down the proposal.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha last week minister of state for defence MM Pallam Raju had said that the “IAF has not demanded control over HAL, being its biggest customer” despite the air force expressing its wish to have its man to steer critical upcoming projects and maintain air superiority.
Several critical projects like the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MRTA) are currently under way at HAL and some of them are running behind schedule.
IAF had also reportedly proposed the name of the then assistant chief of air staff (operations & space), Air Vice Marshal M Matheswaran, for the top slot at HAL after the incumbent, Ashok Nayak, steps down as chairman on October 31.
However, Matheswaran was promoted as Air Marshal and appointed as Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command headquarters last week.
Ministry sources said that there could also be opposition from HAL as they would want someone from within the PSU to head it. Among other names doing the rounds for the top post are Pawan Hans chairman RK Tyagi.
The last time an IAF officer was at the helm of affairs at the PSU was back in 1983-84 when Air Chief Marshal (then Air Marshal) LM Katre headed it. Two of HAL biggest projects LCA and ALH were conceptualized during his tenure as chairman of HAL.
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