HAL to Focus also on Civil, UAV Programmes

SP’s ShowNews (SP’s): HAL registered some remarkable achievements in 2013. What is the outlook for 2014?

R.K. Tyagi (Tyagi): The focus for 2014 will be on application of learnings from the initiatives that were undertaken in 2013. Standing by the core spirit of customer focus and commitment, HAL would like to continuously improve its service levels for customers. Given the challenging economic conditions, innovation will be an essential ingredient for anything and everything that HAL does.

HAL will be diversifying into civil aviation in the coming year as government has mandated it to lead civil aircraft development in the country. Further in line with HAL’s diversification strategy, an action plan for a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for civil aircraft; maintenance, repair and overhaul; starting airport operations at Nasik/Bengaluru; civil helicopters and UAVs have been developed and these plans will be taken forward. These will be very important revenue streams in times to come. HAL will dedicate the year 2014 as the year of ICQ (integrity, customer focus and quality).

SP’s: Could you outline some of the major achievements of HAL in 2013?

Tyagi: There have been several major achievements. The most important was on December 20, 2013, when the Defence Minister A.K. Antony handed over the “Release to Service Documents” of our very own indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA)-Tejas to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne. This event has paved way for entry of Tejas into operational service of defence forces. HAL has worked with others to see that this dream for India comes true. With this feat India joins the elite club of very few nations to have this kind of defence capability and HAL now sets in the manufacturing mode for Tejas. Earlier in November, the Indian Navy inducted the first fleet of Hawk aircraft manufactured by HAL.

SP’s: The advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv has had some spectacular operational successes. Could you highlight some of them?

Tyagi: We achieved a landmark when on October 18, 2013, HAL-built Dhruv, advanced light helicopter, completed 1,00,000 hours of flying.

Importantly, it performed effectively in dropping paratroopers and evacuating stranded people during the Operation Raahat in the aftermath of flash floods in Uttarakhand. Dhruv helicopters pressed into service by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force proved their mettle in carrying out rescue and relief operations in some of the most inaccessible areas. The indigenised pride — Dhruv helped relief workers to provide food and medicines to remote parts of Uttarakhand.

On December 14 last, the Indian Navy handed over a Dhruv helicopter to Maldives. Prior to this two Dhruv helicopters played an important role in Nepal in smooth conduct of elections there.

SP’s: What has been HAL’s contribution in the Mars Mission programme of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)?

Tyagi: HAL is proud to have contributed to this mission as well as to other important missions by manufacturing all the satellite structures launched till date by ISRO.

SP’s: Has the R&D spend gone up in HAL?

Tyagi: R&D remained under focus during the year 2013. HAL filed 225 patents and established Chairs at Indian Institutes of Technology at Kanpur, Roorkee and Chennai. As an important strategic move 10 R&D centres of the company were brought under the ambit of the Committee of Institutional Network (COIN). We have also decided to create an R&D corpus fund by earmarking one-tenth of the annual profits for taking up advanced and applied research in the aerospace domain.

SP’s: Which are the key projects that HAL is now focusing on?

Tyagi: The company has chalked out effective action plans for its projects HTT40, FGFA, MTA, MMRCA, UAVs and 25 KN aeroengine.

SP’s: There has been some criticism on timely deliveries and customer satisfaction. What measures have been taken to correct them?

Tyagi: The company’s focus is on quality, customer satisfaction, timely deliveries and indigenisation. The year 2013-14 is now specially dedicated for enhanced quality.

HAL has initiated vendor meet, signed a memorandum of understanding with Transparency International, and is strengthening vendor base, employee survey and competency mapping and sector skill council in aerospace and aviation sector. A batch of 285 management trainees joined HAL family. Keeping in line with the highest standards of speed, transparency and governance, the results of the recruitment were declared within 45 hours of personal interview (98,000 plus aspirants took the written test).

SP’s: HAL has won several awards in 2013. Could you list some of them?

Tyagi: The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) granted "Excellent" rating to HAL for its performance during 2012-13. Also during the year, HAL has bagged the “SCOPE Award for Excellence and Outstanding Contribution to the Public Sector Management - Institutional Category-I for 2011-12” and the “IEI Industry Excellence Award 2013” of the Indian Institute of Engineers. Apart from this, HAL also bagged various other awards during the year for its outstanding performance in various areas.