Mumbai: Tata Advanced Materials Ltd, a unit of Tata Industries Ltd has won an order from aircraft maker Boeing to supply composite interior closeout panels for the P-8 military jet.

The P-8 is designed for long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface (ships) warfare, as well as armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. A derivative of Boeing’s Next-Generation 737-800, P-8 is capable of broad-area maritime operations.

“This contract is another example of Indian companies becoming part of the global supply chain and manufacturing aerospace parts for the world’s most advanced products," said Sudhi Ranjan Mukherjee, chief executive of TAML. The contract with Boeing will help strengthen TAML’s position as a strong and reliable partner in the aero-structures segment, the company said.

TAML is currently under contract to manufacture the P-8 tail cone and auxiliary power unit door fairing out of India. Additionally, TAML works for Dynamatic Technologies Ltd in support of the CH-47F Chinook, a medium-to-heavy lift helicopter, and for P-8 cabinets.

Boeing and various Tata group companies have established partnerships in India to manufacture aero-structures for Boeing’s commercial and military aircraft. Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd also have a joint venture in India to produce AH-64 Apache fuselages, co-produce aero-structures and pursue integrated systems development opportunities in India.

Defence and aerospace are important growth drivers identified by Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry and significant investments will be made in these areas, Mukund Rajan, member of group executive council and brand custodian at Tata Sons, told reporters in March. In the last five years, revenue from the defence and aerospace business for the group has grown at an average annual growth rate of 18%, he had said.

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