Boeing and HAL celebrate delivery of 150th gun bay door for the F/A-18 Super Hornet

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) delivers the 150th gun bay door for the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, manufactured at its facility in Bengaluru.
• Example of Boeing’s ongoing commitment to India and robust investment in Indian defence and aerospace ecosystem.

New Delhi, India,  June 10, 2019 - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) celebrated a milestone with Boeing [NYSE: BA], with the delivery of the 150th gun bay door for the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic all weather, carrier-capable multirole combat jet delivering cutting-edge, next-generation multi-role strike fighter capability.

HAL has been Boeing’s long-term supplier in India for over 25 years. Boeing awarded HAL the contract to manufacture gun bay doors for the Super Hornet in 2007.

“We’re proud of our partnership with HAL. This delivery of the 150th gun bay door for the Super Hornet demonstrates that Indian suppliers are an integral part of Boeing’s global supply chain. This milestone is yet another endorsement of our commitment to India, which is well recognized today, because we’ve been investing and making in India for several years now,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India. “Our investments in India are robust and ongoing, spanning technology, hi-tech innovation, production capacity, establishing a supply chain network, and developing skilling centers for aerospace manufacturing in India,” Gupte added.

“HAL is committed to strengthening aerospace manufacturing in India. This delivery is not just an important milestone for HAL, but also for Boeing and the Indian industry,” said R. Madhavan, chairman and managing director, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. “We thank Boeing for their support and commitment to Make in India,” he added.

Boeing has offered to build a 21st century aerospace ecosystem in India for manufacturing the F/A-18 Super Hornet with Indian partners, HAL and Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS). This production will create thousands of jobs and hundreds of suppliers in India, similar to the largest Boeing aerospace ecosystem that exists in the U.S., to help realize the Make in India vision to its full potential.

Boeing’s sourcing from India now stands at $1 billion with over 160 existing industrial partners who are raising the bar to deliver excellent quality and productivity, and becoming an important part of the company’s worldwide supply chain for some of the most innovative aerospace products in the world.

About Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been India’s primary aerospace manufacturer for the past 78 years. With a turnover of USD 2.7 billion, HAL is one of the biggest suppliers to the Indian armed forces, with over 13 joint ventures, one fully owned subsidiary and two section 8 companies. Its long history of manufacturing aircraft, engines, avionics and components for India’s space program is proof of its capabilities in aerospace manufacturing and systems integration. With various establishments in Bengaluru, Nashik, Hyderabad and Kanpur, HAL has been actively investing in R&D and manufacturing and this effort has led to the LCA Tejas, India’s homegrown multi-role fighter. These strengths will add significantly to our F/A-18 Super Hornet Make in India proposal. Today, HAL already manufactures components for Boeing’s commercial and defense platforms, including for the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

About Boeing

Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defense, space and security systems, and service provider of aftermarket support. Providing the mainstay of India's civil aviation sector for more than 75 years, Boeing's performance driven aircraft are also playing an important role in mission-readiness for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced technologies and is committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector – developing local suppliers, and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions. Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with over 160 partners in India, and a JV to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters. Annual sourcing from India stands at $1 billion. Boeing currently employs 3500 people in India, and more than 7000 people work with its supply chain partners. Boeing's employee efforts and India country-wide engagement serves communities and citizenship programs to inspire change and make an impact on more than 200000 lives. For more information, visit www.boeing.co.in.