Thursday, July 10, 2008

$50-MILLION ORDER FOR SAMTEL-HAL SYSTEMS

For the first time in the country, a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Samtel Display Systems has got a development order of $50 million, to manufacture indigenous next-generation Multi Functional Displays (MFDs) for HAL.

The Samtel HAL Display Systems was formed in 2006 as the first public-private partnership in this sector for developing and manufacturing avionics display systems.

Commenting on the order, Samtel Group’s CMD Satish Kaura said, “The long-term manufacturing agreement with HAL is clearly a milestone for public-private partnership in this highly sensitive and strategic sector. In addition to the production of MFDs, the agreement will also require sustained support for all of HAL’s applied systems. The defence industries demand high quality and high performance avionics equipment and systems and Samtel is committed to maintaining these standards.”

HAL Chairman, Ashok K Baweja said that, “HAL is cruising ahead to become a powerhouse for design, analysis, engineering and software solutions. We are committed to leverage our joint synergies in encouraging and fostering Indian ambitions to be a leading role player in the world aviation scenario of the next decade.”

According to company officials, in the first phase, Samtel HAL Display Systems will provide indigenous MFDs for HAL’s star programme—the SU-30 MKIs. The LCD based MFDs have already undergone extensive testing by DARE (Defence Avionics Research Establishment) for their flight worthiness to be fitted on the fleet of SU-30 MKI to be produced over the next decade.

The indigenous Multi Functional Displays (MFD), jointly developed with DARE (DRDO lab) and manufactured by Samtel has recently got clearance for flight-testing from RCMA (Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness). With this clearance, Samtel becomes the first Indian company to indigenise multifunctional displays for the Indian Defence forces.

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