Naini Aerospace Limited (NAeL), Prayagraj, a unit of HAL, was manufacturing fuselage structures and wiring looms for skid-based Dhruv helicopters, mainly used by the Indian Army.
The company planned to expand into manufacturing fuselage structures and wiring looms for wheel-based Dhruv helicopters for the Indian Navy and Air Force. HAL Bengaluru experts were expected to inspect and modify the existing jigs/workstations to enable this production.
At that time:
- NAeL had manufactured 10 Dhruv fuselages at its Naini facility.
- It was already producing wiring looms for Dhruv and Tejas.
- ISRO was expected to approve NAeL for manufacturing looms for satellite launch vehicles.
- The company targeted producing four wheel-based Dhruv fuselages by March 2021, subject to jig modifications and approvals.
Key takeaway: NAeL's Naini facility was being positioned to move beyond skid-type helicopter structures into wheel-based Dhruv structures, while expanding its aerospace wiring-loom business.
