Seven companies in fray to overhaul IAF jets

NAGPUR: The Tatas may have pulled out of the race to enter the banking business, but the group, along with six other corporate houses, is vying to bag the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) contract to overhaul its Russian fighter and transport aircraft.

Others who have shown interest in the contract include Max Aerospace and Taneja Aviation, according to a senior IAF source.

Facing recurring problems with the original equipment manufacturers abroad, the IAF now plans to hand over a part of the work for extending the life of its Mig-29 and AN-32 aircraft to domestic companies. The request for information was floated around two months ago, to which these seven business houses responded, the source said. Confirming this, Air Marshal P Kanakraj said the process is being managed by IAF’s maintenance command at Nagpur. Kanakraj is air-officer-commanding-inchief of maintenance command ; he added that this was the first such venture.

The IAF will initially assist the private players, who will later take over all the overhaul-related work.

Bids will be invited in a month and IAF hopes the deal would be signed around March 2014. A source said the contract is worth a few thousand crores.
MiG29s and AN-32 s were procured from erstwhile USSR and the original equipment manufacturers are no longer able to supplies fresh spares. The IAF is keen on extending the life of over 45 Mig-29 s, and 65 AN-32 s. After Ukraine overhauls 40 AN-32 aircraft, the rest 65 will be redone in India.

However, going by the schedule, eight AN-32 s should have been ready, but by now only two have undergone the process. There are also problems with the supply of spares.

The IAF also plans to assemble Swiss trainer aircraft Pilatus PC-7 trainer aircraft being acquired by India. After delivery of 76 aircraft, the next 100 will be assembled at the base repair depots of the maintenance command. IAF has so far been relying on its vendors as well as HAL for this job.