Tata Boeing Aerospace delivers 100th fuselage for Apache chopper from Hyd facility

PTI, Jul 23, 2021, 2:10 PM IST

Hyderabad: Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited on Friday announced the delivery of the 100th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache combat helicopter to Boeing from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility here.

According to a press release issued by Tata Advanced Systems Limited, the fuselage will be transported to Boeing’s AH-64 Apache manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, USA, for integration into the final assembly line.

Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, and senior officials from Boeing and TASL were present to mark the delivery milestone.

Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India, said, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited is an example of Boeing’s commitment towards “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” and the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defence not just for India, but for the world.

“We have quadrupled our sourcing from India in the past two years to more than USD 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 that the aerospace and defence industry demands,” Gupte said.

Rama Rao, said, “This is a proud moment for Telangana, and a noteworthy step in the growth of Indias aerospace and defence manufacturing. 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.”

Sukaran Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, TASL said, “The achievement of 100thfuselage delivery for AH-64 within three years of the facility being operational reflects our strong ability to industrialise and ramp up complex aerospace programs and deliver with highest levels of quality.”

Tata Boeing Aerospace, Boeing’s first equity joint venture in India, is the result of a 2015 partnership agreement with TASL.

Spread over 14,000 square meters, the facility has been producing aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures and vertical spar boxes for customers worldwide.

Recently, Boeing announced the addition of a new production line to manufacture complex vertical fin structures for the 737 families of aeroplanes.

Customers globally operate more than 1,200 Boeing-made Apache helicopters.

The helicopter has been fielded or selected for acquisition by the armed forces of 16 countries, including India.