RPK
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,862
- Reaction score
- -6
- Country
- Location
..:: India Strategic ::. Defence Industry: RUAG offers Dornier 228NG to India
And aims to lower prices by $2 million/aircraft
Published: August 2013
New Delhi. The Swiss-German RUAG Aviation is offering India the modernised version of Dornier 228, which will help reduce HALs production costs by about $ 2million per aircraft.
The Dornier 228 NG (Next Generation), under production now by RUAG in Germany since 2009, is a more efficient aircraft than the model with India, and once an agreement is through between RUAG and HAL, then not only would there be savings in cash but RUAG will also give a commitment to buy at least six aircraft per year from HAL.
Indias HAL has been producing the existing model for several years after an agreement in mid-1980s for use by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Navy and Coast Guard, and the aircraft is only manufactured by it with global marketing rights. In fact, HAL supplies the aircrafts entire airframe to RUAG in Germany where it is customised for onward sales to RUAGs own customers, mainly for specified intelligence and surveillance roles.
A RUAG delegation was in India recently, and according to Thomas K Schilliger, Vice President Commercial Programmes, RUAG Aviation, if everything goes well, the production of this twin engine turboprop in India along with HAL could begin next year itself with delivery from 2015 onwards.
The NG version has newer Honeywell engines, TPE331-10 turboprops, which are more efficient than the Honeywell Garrett TPE-331-5-252D in the current Indian model, as also a modern glass cockpit which is used in all modern aircraft.
HAL, which has produced nearly 120 aircraft so far, describes the Dornier 228 it manufactures as a highly fuel-efficient, rugged, reliable, twin turbo-prop aircraft with advanced technologies in design and production and has been developed specifically to meet the manifold requirements of a variety of roles for various military, para-military and civil operators. Functional versatility with low operating costs makes HAL DO-228 adaptable for a wide variety of roles including Commuter, Air Taxi, Utility, Corporate, Aircrew Training, Maritime Surveillance, Search & Rescue and for Observation & Communication duties.
There is now a new requirement for 54 new Dornier aircraft and for the sake of commonality and costing, Dornier is looking for a tie-up for the Next Generation model with HAL. It is to mutual advantage both in terms of technology and costs, Schilliger told India Strategic recently.
RUAG wants to shift its Dornier 228NG production facility in Germany to India to cater to both the Indian as well as western customers by offering the aircraft manufactured by both the companies jointly in India.
RUAG however will customise the interiors by itself, depending upon whether an aircraft is needed for passenger or Intelligence role, he said.
Dornier 228 NG is described by RUAG as a versatile, reliable and cost efficient aircraft qualified for various special mission and regional air traffic.
The new Dornier has features like state-of-the-art avionics and communication systems, Universal UNS-1 digital glass cockpit with four 5x7in (13x18cm) Multifunction Displays (MFDs) featuring electronic instrument displays, better engines, longer range, better payload, new landing gear design and five-bladed propellers to name a few. EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) has certified it to fly for up to eight hours. The propellers are made of composite material in order to decrease the weight and noise of the aircraft.
RUAG sees a potential for some 300 Dornier 228 NGs internationally over the next 20 years.
© India Strategic
And aims to lower prices by $2 million/aircraft
Published: August 2013
New Delhi. The Swiss-German RUAG Aviation is offering India the modernised version of Dornier 228, which will help reduce HALs production costs by about $ 2million per aircraft.
The Dornier 228 NG (Next Generation), under production now by RUAG in Germany since 2009, is a more efficient aircraft than the model with India, and once an agreement is through between RUAG and HAL, then not only would there be savings in cash but RUAG will also give a commitment to buy at least six aircraft per year from HAL.
Indias HAL has been producing the existing model for several years after an agreement in mid-1980s for use by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Navy and Coast Guard, and the aircraft is only manufactured by it with global marketing rights. In fact, HAL supplies the aircrafts entire airframe to RUAG in Germany where it is customised for onward sales to RUAGs own customers, mainly for specified intelligence and surveillance roles.
A RUAG delegation was in India recently, and according to Thomas K Schilliger, Vice President Commercial Programmes, RUAG Aviation, if everything goes well, the production of this twin engine turboprop in India along with HAL could begin next year itself with delivery from 2015 onwards.
The NG version has newer Honeywell engines, TPE331-10 turboprops, which are more efficient than the Honeywell Garrett TPE-331-5-252D in the current Indian model, as also a modern glass cockpit which is used in all modern aircraft.
HAL, which has produced nearly 120 aircraft so far, describes the Dornier 228 it manufactures as a highly fuel-efficient, rugged, reliable, twin turbo-prop aircraft with advanced technologies in design and production and has been developed specifically to meet the manifold requirements of a variety of roles for various military, para-military and civil operators. Functional versatility with low operating costs makes HAL DO-228 adaptable for a wide variety of roles including Commuter, Air Taxi, Utility, Corporate, Aircrew Training, Maritime Surveillance, Search & Rescue and for Observation & Communication duties.
There is now a new requirement for 54 new Dornier aircraft and for the sake of commonality and costing, Dornier is looking for a tie-up for the Next Generation model with HAL. It is to mutual advantage both in terms of technology and costs, Schilliger told India Strategic recently.
RUAG wants to shift its Dornier 228NG production facility in Germany to India to cater to both the Indian as well as western customers by offering the aircraft manufactured by both the companies jointly in India.
RUAG however will customise the interiors by itself, depending upon whether an aircraft is needed for passenger or Intelligence role, he said.
Dornier 228 NG is described by RUAG as a versatile, reliable and cost efficient aircraft qualified for various special mission and regional air traffic.
The new Dornier has features like state-of-the-art avionics and communication systems, Universal UNS-1 digital glass cockpit with four 5x7in (13x18cm) Multifunction Displays (MFDs) featuring electronic instrument displays, better engines, longer range, better payload, new landing gear design and five-bladed propellers to name a few. EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) has certified it to fly for up to eight hours. The propellers are made of composite material in order to decrease the weight and noise of the aircraft.
RUAG sees a potential for some 300 Dornier 228 NGs internationally over the next 20 years.
© India Strategic
