HAL, Rolls-Royce sign MoU to expand partnership

Bengaluru: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Rolls-Royce have signed an MoU to establish packaging, installation, marketing and services support for Rolls-Royce MT30 marine engines in India. Through this MoU, Rolls-Royce and HAL will expand their long-standing partnership in India and work together in the area of marine applications for the first time.

R Madhavan, CMD, HAL said, "Rolls-Royce has been our valued partner for several decades. We now look forward to working together to explore business opportunities in marine applications. This partnership will leverage the rich experience of HAL's IMGT Division that works on marine gas turbines with Indian shipyards. Further, we are also exploring the option of using MT7 marine engine on the hovercraft being planned by the shipyards in India."

Kishore Jayaraman, President, Rolls-Royce India and South Asia said, "We are excited to bring together Rolls-Royce's experience of over five decades in developing naval propulsion solutions and HAL's in-market expertise in working with marine gas turbines to support our MT30 engines. We look forward to building on this partnership to provide solutions in the area of naval defence."

Speaking about the partnership, Tom Bell, President, Rolls-Royce Defence said, "Rolls-Royce has a shared history of successful collaboration with HAL in defence aerospace, and we are proud to strengthen our valued partnership to work together for the MT30 naval gas turbine. As India focuses on its vision of modernisation and self-reliance in defence, we look forward to introducing the MT30 to customers in India in collaboration with HAL. Designed for naval platforms of the future, the MT30 is perfectly equipped to meet the Indian Navy's present and future needs."

MT30 is the world's most power-dense, best-in-class naval gas turbine currently in-service with naval programs worldwide in various propulsion arrangements across seven ship types. Derived from the Trent aero engine family, the MT30 has the potential to provide next-generation capabilities to the Indian Navy's future fleet. The MT30 can deliver its full power of up to 40 MW in ambient temperatures up to 38 degree celsius, without any power degradation throughout the life of the ship.

Earlier this year at the Aero India 2021 show, the two companies also announced new partnerships in the aerospace sector, including a MoU to establish an Authorized Maintenance Centre at HAL for Adour Mk871 engines to support international military customers and operators. They also announced their intent to expand their supply chain partnerships for Civil and Defence Aerospace, by working towards making Adour Mk871 engine parts in India, as well as supplying forgings such as shrouds, cases and seals for Rolls-Royce's Pearl 15 and Trent family of engines.

Attendees at the announcement included M. Velpari, Director (Operations), Amitabh Bhat, CEO (Bangalore Complex) and B Krishna Kumar, General Manager, Engine Division from HAL and Louise Donaghey, Sr. Vice President (Defence), Rolls-Royce (joining virtually), Abhishek Singh, Vice President (Defence), Rolls-Royce.