Wikileaks reveals India's HAL Butchered own BAE Hawks then blamed Brits

[CardSharp]

Two years ago, the Indian Air Force blamed BAE Systems for a one-year delay in the assembly of 42 Hawk advanced jet trainers at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). BAE released a statement defending itself, but provided no details.

Thanks to Julian Assange's latest dump of US State Department cables, BAE's side of the story emerges a bit more clearly. In a 24 February 2010 cable marked "confidential", the US Embassy in New Dehli describe Ambassador Timothy Roemer's tour of HAL's factory complex in Bangalaru, and concludes with this anecdote.

The potential for HAL to successfully partner with U.S. firms on a truly advanced aircraft remains untested and suspect. The Hawk program, which involves the assembly of aircraft from kits supplied by BAE, is well behind schedule. BAE has told Embassy staff that the Indian Air Force did not order sufficient spare parts for the first batch of Hawks that were delivered fully assembled from England. BAE technicians supervising work at HAL became aware that parts were being taken from the kits intended to assemble new aircraft and used instead as replacement parts for aircraft already delivered. Lack of controls left BAE unsure what parts were now missing from the kits. When BAE confronted HAL regarding the problem, the BAE technical staff was asked to leave HAL. Clearly, despite the progress evident within the Indian Defense sector, American firms need to approach partnerships carefully to understand the management and technological experience of Indian firms. Cost, schedule and quality will be key challenges for any company engaging in JOINT production ventures.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2011/09/wikileaks-indias-hal-hacks-own.html

 

[xTra]

Any link to original cable will be appreciated.

 

[Dalai Lama]

Dehli = Delhi
Bangaluru = Bengaluru/Bangalore

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

An investigation should be launched and HAL,if found guilty must be sued as their jinga-la-laa games left IAF stranded without basic trainers,40 year old intermediate trainers and very little advanced jet trainers!

 

[westtowel]

HAL is doing the job of ISI.

 

[IndoCarib]

as long as HAL , DRDO remains govt entities, we cant expect them to be clean ! Time has come to privatize these

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

HAL is doing the job of ISI.

ISI sabotages it's own reputation and then blames U.K?
Get a Life!

 

[jdme]

Weird. I thought uber-patriotic defenders on PSU will descend on this thread to defend HAL I always knew all government defense PSUs are incompetent.

 

[IndoCarib]

HAL is doing the job of ISI.

dumb comment. sometimes it is better to be silent !

 

[manojb]

Very good find. Thank you wikileaks. Did us deplomat toured drdo. I wish.

 

[IndoCarib]

Is there any other source ? a link to the original cable ? cant trust a blog

 

[Mech]

Well, everyone knows the HAL is incompetent. Cost over runs, project delays and sheer lack of efficiency. Govt. MUST encourage private firms to participate in defense sector.

 

[harpoon]

Weird. I thought uber-patriotic defenders on PSU will descend on this thread to defend HAL I always knew all government defense PSUs are incompetent.

Its better if HAL is broken down into different companies. Rotary Wing will be under one company, fixed wing another company,TEJAS will have its own company etc.

 

[westtowel]

Any link to original cable will be appreciated.

¶13. (C) Despite these advances, the potential for HAL to
successfully partner with U.S. firms on a truly advanced
aircraft remains untested and suspect. The Hawk program,
which involves the assembly of aircraft from kits supplied by
BAE, is well behind schedule. BAE has told Embassy staff
that the Indian Air Force did not order sufficient spare
parts for the first batch of Hawks that were delivered fully
assembled from England. BAE technicians supervising work at
HAL became aware that parts were being taken from the kits
intended to assemble new aircraft and used instead as
replacement parts for aircraft already delivered. Lack of
controls left BAE unsure what parts were now missing from the
kits. When BAE confronted HAL regarding the problem, the BAE
technical staff was asked to leave HAL. Clearly, despite the
progress evident within the Indian Defense sector, American
firms need to approach partnerships carefully to understand
the management and technological experience of Indian firms.
Cost, schedule and quality will be key challenges for any
company engaging in joint production ventures.

Cable Viewer

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Deleted..............