IAF looks to MRF for indigenisation of aircraft tyres to boost efficiency

Chennai:

In a bid to cut costs and boost its efficiency, Indian Air Force is planning to go in for massive indigenisation and experts feel if government makes indigenisation a policy then 70 to 80 per cent of defence products will be indigenised in the next 10 years.

Interestingly, IAF has already tied up with MRF in this venture and the tyre manufacturer has already made tyres for Air Force Sukhoi 30 range of aircraft.

The tyres of IAF aircraft are being procured from abroad at a high cost. “Usually, IAF spends Rs one lakh to buy a tyre from abroad now we are offering them a better quality that too at an affordable cost which is 35 to 40 per cent lower that what they are purchasing now. We are offering each tyre at a cost of Rs 56,000,” says MRF Ltd Chairman and Managing Director, K M Mammen.

The tyres are produced at company's manufacturing facility situated in Medak, Hyderabad. Mammen, Air Vice Marshal J K Singh VSM and Dr K Tamil Mani, Director General Aero launched the tyres named as ‘Aero Muscle. 

The tyres are made for handling extreme conditions as a Sukhoi 30 lands at a speed of 420km per hour, said Mammen.

Mammen feels that the government should follow indigenisation policy rather than be dependent on imports. “If indigenisation becomes a policy then 70 to 80 per cent of defence products will be indigenised in the next 10 years,” said Mammen.

MRF took up the next project of the main wheel tyres for the Sukhoi 30 MKI in 2008. This project was anchored by CEMILAC (the certifying authority for Military aviation), RCMA (Nasik), DGAQA, IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

MRF Ltd Executive Vice-President Marketing Koshy Varghese said that MRF is  using the back-up facility. “We are executing order which we got in 2013 for IAF. 50 per cent of the order which is substantial is being executed. The remaining 50 per cent are on their way,” he said.

Intrestingy, MRF has already set its sights on manufacturig tyres for MIG. There are various projects but MIG is the immediate thing, said Koshy.

Ever-increasing costs of imports and dependence on foreign vendors has resulted in IAF to take a decision on indigenisation. Currently, it is believed the Indian air force operates more than 20 different types of aircraft and several radars, other support systems and weapons.