Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), a joint venture between Boeing and India’s Tata Advanced Systems, inaugurated an assembly line in Hyderabad, India. This facility will be the sole global producer of fuselages for AH-64 Apache helicopters delivered by Boeing to its global customers including the U.S. Army. First deliveries of the fuselages will take place later this year.
The joint venture will also produce secondary structures and vertical spar boxes for this multirole combat helicopter. India has ordered twenty-two AH-64E Apache helicopters under a 2015 order with first deliveries expected to begin in 2019. Six additional Apaches were requested last month.
Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India said, “TBAL is just the beginning of Boeing’s future journey of partnership with India. We see this as a major step toward future opportunities to pursue the co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defense.”
