MTA: HAL and Irkut’s Joint Tactical Transport Project

Irkut concept

In late December 2006, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) announced a $700-million joint venture (JV) agreement with Irkut Corporation of Russia for manufacturing 60-tonne multi-role transport aircraft (MRTA). Under this 50/50 arrangement with HAL, Ilyushin Design Bureau of Russia would design the MRTA (now MTA) and Irkut corporation of Russia will develop the aircraft, while series production would be taken up by the transport aircraft division of HAL at Kanpur. Irkut is a major investor (40% of project expenses), and will be the coordinator of the Russian side. For HAL, the move is part of an effort to forge new partnerships with global aviation majors for military and civil projects, with an eye on trebling their annual turnover to $3 billion by 2011.

The project has moved very slowly, even as competitors like the C-130J gained traction around the world, including in India, and future rivals like the KC-390 began picking up international partners. Now, a joint venture is supposed to get underway to build 145 aircraft for its initial customers in Russia and India.

Rapid Fire Dec. 20, 2013: Drawdown Cost/Benefit; UK Troop Levels

• The GAO on the forthcoming logistics costs of withdrawing from Afghanistan and what to leave vs. what to bring back:

“Because the services have not consistently performed and documented analyses to support decision making concerning the return of excess major end items from Afghanistan, there is a risk that the costs of returning excess items may outweigh the benefits of returning them.

• Canada still has 400 containers in Kandahar of low priority, but still worth shipping back, according to 45eNord.ca [in French]. But keeping them there incurs exposure to rental costs and theft risk.

• Prime Minister Cameron told Parliament that the UK will lower its forces in Afghanistan to about 5,200 by the end of 2013, down from 9,000 now.