TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) manufactures critical fin and rudder assemblies for India's indigenous TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft, supplying them directly to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) within the HAL-led production ecosystem.

These tail components ensure essential stability and control during flight, leveraging advanced composite materials that contribute significantly to the aircraft's lightweight design.

TASL's role extends to producing high-tech composite parts, including 15 specific components developed with know-how from CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), for the TEJAS MK-1A variant. Under agreements dating back to 2008 and updated in 2022, HAL places direct purchase orders on TASL, such as one valued at ₹220 crores for initial MK-1A sets, bypassing intermediaries to meet delivery timelines.

This collaboration exemplifies private sector integration into India's defence manufacturing, aligning with Aatmanirbhar Bharat goals to foster self-reliance and reduce import dependence. TASL has matured as a reliable production partner, delivering parts for over 40 TEJAS aircraft to Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standards, with ongoing supplies for MK-1A.

TASL possesses advanced facilities exceeding 3000 square metres of clean rooms, equipped with laser projection systems and CNC ply-cutters for precise prepreg layup processes. The company excels in co-curing and bonding techniques, consolidating skins, spars, and mid-ribs to optimise weight and assembly efforts specifically for fins, rudders, and fuselage assemblies in defence programs.

Quality assurance at TASL features an in-house, OEM-certified ecosystem with capabilities like 10-axis through-transmission ultrasonic testing, pulse-echo C-scans, thermography, and ultra-precision contour measurement. Special processes include acoustic drilling, paint booths, surface preparation, and core processing, enabling turnkey composite solutions that adhere to stringent international aerospace standards.

CSIR-NAL's innovations, transferred to TASL, have minimised mechanical joints, yielding over 20% cost savings and 25% weight reduction in TEJAS composites, which comprise 45% of the aircraft's structure by weight. Royalties from TASL—7% for the first 50 MK-1A sets and 5% thereafter—underscore the ongoing value of this technology transfer, with CSIR-NAL receiving around ₹13 crores from recent orders.

HAL's broader supply chain incorporates TASL alongside firms like L&T, Dynamatic Technologies, and others, supporting production ramps towards 30 TEJAS jets annually by 2027. This public-private synergy not only addresses bottlenecks but also builds a robust domestic ecosystem, creating jobs and enhancing indigenous capabilities in Aerostructures.

TASL's expertise spans beyond TEJAS to international partnerships, producing components for Airbus, Boeing 737 MAX, 777X, and 787, while inaugurating new facilities like the Jigani composites plant in 2025. Such diversification positions India as a global aerospace hub, with TASL driving precision manufacturing for both military and commercial needs.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)