Tata Boeing delivers 100th fuselage for Apache

Hyderabad: Tata Boeing Aerospace Ltd(TBAL) has delivered its 100th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache combat helicopter to Boeing from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Hyderabad on Friday. The fuselage will be transported to Boeing's AH-64 Apache manufacturing facility in Mesa city in Arizona for integration into the final assembly line.

On the occasion, KT Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Industries and Commerce, and Information Technology of Telangana, said:"Government of Telangana has identified aerospace and defence (A&D) as a priority sector. We already have seven dedicated industrial parks for this sector. We have a couple of industrial parks coming up in near future."

He adds, "Our government is committed to providing all support necessary to make the State a preferred destination for global A&D manufacturers. Along with A&D, Civil aviation sector is also growing up in the State with a number of facilities. There is more potential in defence electronics space in Hyderabad."

"The city-based A&D ecosystem has been ranked number one in terms of cost-effectiveness by various agencies. Traditionally, the city has been known as the missile Hub of India. It has been leading in the manufacturing and research in the A&D sector since long time," the minister said urging the A&D manufacturers to consider the city as their investment destination over "already crowded Bengaluru".

Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India, said: "We have quadrupled our sourcing from India in the past two years to more than $1 billion. Skilled talent, robust infrastructure, ease of doing business, and a highly responsive government administration make Telangana an ideal destination for the high-end manufacturing work that the aerospace and defence industry demands."

Tata Boeing Aerospace is Boeing's first equity joint venture in India. Spread over 14,000 sqmetres, the state-of-the-art facility has been producing aero-structures for Boeing's AH-64 Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures and vertical spar boxes for customers worldwide. Recently, Boeing announced production of complex vertical fin structures for the 737 family of airplanes.