News Story: Defence firms eye billion-dollar chance for 'made in India'

By Megha BAHREE

India has drawn up a shopping list for tens of billions of dollars of foreign fighter jets, armoured vehicles, submarines and helicopters but it will only sign the cheques if they are made in India.

The world's largest defence importer has announced a new policy inviting foreign defence manufacturers to set up shop as minority partners in India. It initiated the bidding process for submarines in July.

Such deals would boost job creation and bring key defence technologies into India.

Foreign companies say the opportunity is too good to miss.

Europe's Airbus Group, angling to sell its Panther helicopters, has said that if it wins a contract worth several billion dollars and expected to span at least a decade, it would make India its global hub for the multi-purpose choppers.

The company currently builds them at Marignane in France.

Lockheed Martin says if its F-16 fighter jets are selected -- it will likely compete with Saab for that order of close to $15 billion -- it will "support the advancement of Indian manufacturing expertise."

Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and France's Naval Group are eager to compete for a contract of up to $10 billion to build submarines in the South Asian country.

Luring foreign defence companies to build in India would be a major and much-needed boost to the economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with less than two years to national elections, is under intense pressure to create more jobs for the hundreds of thousands of people joining the workforce every month.

Growth in the first three months of 2017 slowed to 6.1 percent. Experts expect further disruption as businesses adjust to a new nationwide goods and services tax launched in July.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Story: Airbus Helicopters Boasts Rise in Military Rotorcraft Sales

By: Pierre Tran

PARIS — Airbus Helicopters sales of military rotorcraft rose to 57 percent of 2016 revenue, up from a 50-50 split with civil sales in the previous year, company CEO Guillaume Faury said in a phone briefing Friday. 

That increase of sales to armed forces helped the company weather a severe downturn in the global civil helicopter market, weighed by a slide in sales to the oil and gas market. 

The increase in military sales was “significantly higher than previous years,” Faury said. “It is the same in orders,” he added, although there were no details in percentage terms. 

The company, based in Marignane, southern France, won “very important military contracts last year,” boosting the number of units and also the value “very significantly,” he said. 

Orders for the light H145M helicopter showed the importance of converting a civil platform into a military version, he said. 

Much of the 2016 military sales were due to deliveries of the NH90 transport helicopter and the 19 Tiger attack helicopters, he said. Last year saw the handover of the 300th NH90. A US selection for service of the Lakota program was a big boost for the company in the service sector. 

The 2017 outlook was a similar split between military and civil sales, although the majority of units would be in the civil market, he said. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: Airbus Helicopters delivers first three AS565 MBe Panther to Indonesia

• First three of 11 AS565 MBe Panther helicopters handed over to PT Dirgantara Indonesia
• Deliveries to run through to 2018
• AS565 MBe will bring increased mission capabilities, specifically for anti-submarine warfare missions

Marignane – Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first three of the 11 AS565 MBe Panther helicopters to Indonesia, ahead of contract schedule, at a ceremony at Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, in the presence of representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and the Indonesian Navy.

This follows the contract signature in late 2014 with PT Dirgantara Indonesia for 11 AS565 MBe helicopters. The delivery of the remaining helicopters will run through to 2018.

Industry: ‘Make in India’ boost: Mahindra to make parts for Airbus Helicopters AS565 MBe Panther rotorcraft

Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Group are proposing the Panther for India’s Naval Utility Helicopter programme

The United Kingdom, July 12, 2016 - Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures to make airframe parts for the AS565 MBe Panther. These parts will be produced at the Mahindra facility in Bengaluru. They will be shipped directly to the Airbus Helicopter production line in Marignane, France where they will be integrated with the rest of the airframe assembly and will form a critical part of the Panthers sold worldwide.

The contract positions Mahindra Aerostructures as the first Indian company to receive a direct manufacturing contract from Airbus Helicopters as a Tier 1 supplier. Mahindra Aerostructures will gradually emerge as the global single source supplier to Airbus Helicopters for these parts. This work package is the first amongst a series of work packages which would embed Mahindra Group firmly in the Airbus Helicopters’ global supply chain and bind the two companies in a long-term ‘Make in India’ partnership.

News Story: Airbus Helicopters advances Panther MBe deliveries

BY: DOMINIC PERRY

Airbus Helicopters will accelerate deliveries of its AS565 MBe Panther anti-submarine warfare rotorcraft following requests from the Indonesian and Mexican navies – its sole customers for the new variant.

Initial examples were due to be handed over to the services in mid-2017, but this has now advanced to late-2016, says the manufacturer.

Airbus says this has been enabled thanks to changes to the production process which have cut lead times by 30% for final assembly and flight-line operations. This saved “several months” on the first serial aircraft, which conducted its maiden flight in November.

Read the full story at Flight Global