“The JV will be for ejection seats that need to be replaced for existing fighters and also for new fleet of aircraft,” sources told DNA Money.
BANGALORE: Aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in talks with British ejection seat maker Martin-Baker Aircraft Co Ltd to set up a joint venture in India to manufacture ejection seats for various classes of fighter aircraft used by the armed forces in India.
The prototype aircraft of Tejas, the light combat aircraft (LCA), is already fitted with a night vision compatible glass cockpit with Martin Baker (UK) zero-zero ejection seats.
“The JV will be for ejection seats that need to be replaced for existing fighters and also for new fleet of aircraft,” sources in the Bangalore-based company told DNA Money.
Investment details for the project, which will come up in one of the divisions of HAL, are being worked out. The JV is likely to be firmed up by the end of this financial year. HAL chairman Ashok K Baweja confirmed the move but did not elaborate further.
The seven-decade old Martin-Baker manufactures ejection seats and related equipment to safeguard the aviator throughout the escape, survival, location and recovery phases.
The privately-held Martin-Baker has over 250 customers in 50 countries. It has orders valued at about £80 million. It has manufactured over 70,000 ejection seats for more than 187 different aircraft types and has 17,500 ejection seats in operational service throughout the world.
Martin-Baker ejection seats have saved over 7,051 aircrew lives to date, and this continues to grow on average by one aircrew life being saved per week with the 80 air forces which operate the company’s seats, the firm said in its website.
Martin-Baker, a family owned British company, has won 75% of the western world market with 80% of its business being for export. Its main markets are the USA, South Korea, Germany, Italy and France. Overseas earnings are in excess of 80% of total sales of about $ 200 million.
The company employs over 725 people at its headquarters in Denham, Buckinghamshire and has a manufacturing and flight test facility at Chalgrove Airfield near Oxford.
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