Mumbai: Europe’s Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures Ltd to make airframe parts for the AS565 MBe Panther military chopper. The value of the contract was not disclosed by the companies. 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," Mahindra said in a statement.

In July 2015, Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra’s defence division had said they are in the process of forming a joint venture to target India’s military helicopter programmes such as the naval utility helicopter, the naval multi-role helicopter and the reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter.

The AS565 MBe Panther is competing for the naval utility helicopter programme.

In case the Indian government selects the Panther, Airbus Helicopters will establish India as a global hub for Panther production in partnership with Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on defence equipment forming part of his ‘Make in India’ campaign to encourage manufacturing and attract foreign investment has seen a scramble among companies for licences to manufacture defence equipment.

The latest contract for airframe parts 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," Mahindra said.

Airbus Helicopters’ Panther is an all-weather, multi-role light rotorcraft, designed for operation from ship decks, offshore locations and land-based sites.

Fabrice Cagnat, director-make in India, Airbus Helicopters said the contract will allow the company to qualify Mahindra Aerostructures as a Tier 1 supplier, establish a manufacturing relationship on the Panther, and “also lay the ground work for a rapid acceleration in terms of industrializing production in India, in case we are selected for the naval utility helicopter programme."

Mahindra Group is building all levels of capabilities in aerospace, according to S. P. Shukla, group president (aerospace and defence sector) and chairman of Mahindra Defence Systems. Mahindra Aerospace has led the Mahindra Group’s entry into utility aircraft and aerostructure manufacturing since 2008.

Shukla said its utility aircraft business, based in Australia, currently produces the Airvan 8, versatile utility aircraft and it is sold in more than 30 countries and over 220 are in service. “Mahindra Aerospace is also developing a next-gen 10-seat turboprop, the Airvan 10. And we are expecting its certification shorlty," Shukla said.

He added that it is the only private company that is building airborne radars in the country.

Last week, airplane maker Boeing Co. and Mahindra Defence Systems formally opened a centre in Gurgaon to provide C-17 training services to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The training facility, which is located at the Flight Simulation Technique Centre in Gurgaon, will be a full-service location offering instruction to aircrews that operate the 10 C-17 airlifters that Boeing delivered to India in 2014.

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