Marignane (France): Airbus Helicopters has shortlisted eight locations in India for setting up a production line for the H125 chopper, the fourth such facility in the world, in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and the company is hopeful of producing 500 such light helicopters in the country during the next 20 years, senior Airbus officials said on Sunday.

The single-engine H125’s final assembly line (FAL) in India will be the first for a civil helicopter in the private sector.

“The final assessment of the locations is on. We will soon make the announcement on where the H125 will be built in India. The factors that will guide the decision include how attractive the location is to our employees, its suitability for industrial activity, and the logistics ecosystem,” said Olivier Michalon, executive vice president, global business, Airbus Helicopters.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility is expected around the year-end, and the Airbus-Tata combine will initially produce ten helicopters a year, with production being ramped up as orders grow, he said. The H125 will be also exported to South Asian countries.

Michalon’s comments came during an interaction with Indian journalists at the Airbus’ Marignane helicopter facility, which is outside Marseille and was opened in 1939, where he spoke about the partnership with TASL, the potential India’s helicopter market holds, and how the H125 fits into the picture.

The partnership between the two companies to assemble the helicopters in the country, aimed to push the Make in India model, was announced in January 2024 during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron to deepen strategic ties. India and France then agreed to a new roadmap for defence-industrial cooperation to identify opportunities for partnership in co-designing, co-development and co-production of military hardware.

This will be the second final assembly line to be set up in India by Airbus. It is jointly executing a ₹21,935-crore project with TASL to equip the Indian Air Force with 56 C-295 aircraft to modernise its transport fleet. In September 2021, the defence ministry signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to strengthen self-reliance in the key sector. The European aircraft maker will deliver 16 planes in flyaway condition, while the rest will be assembled in India at a Tata facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara city.

Airbus Helicopters believes that the C-295 experience will help.

“We share information within the group and learn from best practices. We also look at what could have been done better. So, there will be a learning curve for us,” Michalon said.

The deliveries of the C-295 are in full swing and the last of the 16 flyaway aircraft will be delivered to IAF by August 2025. The first “made in India” C-295 will roll out of the Vadodara facility in September 2026 and the remaining 39 by August 2031.

The first H125 will also roll out of an Indian facility in 2026. These helicopters are currently produced only in France, the US and Brazil. At the Indian FAL, TASL will handle major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, flight controls, hydraulic circuits, fuel systems and the engine.

All this will be done with support and guidance from Airbus Helicopters, including the upcoming training of Indian personnel in France.

The H125’s engine and gearbox will come from France, the main airframe from Germany, and the tail boom from Spain, the officials said.

The FAL in India will be the same at the H125 production line in Marignane. “The goal is to make sure we replicate the same quality and safety standards, invest in giving the best training to people and have high-quality processes and operational efficiency,” said Jerome Ronssin, who heads Airbus’ light helicopters programme.

The 2,8-tonne H125 can carry up to six passengers, fly at a maximum altitude of 23,000 feet, has a range of 630 km and a top speed of 250 kmph. The roles it is suited for include commercial transport, law enforcement, emergency medical services, disaster management, offshore industry and firefighting duties.

The military helicopter segment in India has matured with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) producing several platforms such as the advanced light helicopter (being produced for civil use too), the light combat helicopter and the light utility helicopter.

HAL has its plate full for the next 15 to 20 years as far as helicopters are concerned, and it’s critical for the private sector to step in, said aviation affairs expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd). “The H125s from India will be sold to other countries too. It will enhance India’s visibility as an exporter.”

(The writer is in France at the invitation of Airbus)