Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was established in October 1964 by merging Hindustan Aircraft Limited and Aeronautics India Limited. It is engaged in the “design, development, manufacture, repair, and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters, engines, and their accessories.” The company has 12 divisions located in six states and 11 R&D centers; its registered office is in Bangalore. HAL’s clients include the three armed services, the Border Security Force, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). In FY 2021-2022, HAL achieved a turnover of $2.94 billion.

Although HAL’s principal function is the design, manufacture, repair, and overhaul of aircraft and helicopters, the company is also involved in ISRO’s satellite launch vehicle and DRDO’s missile and unmanned aerial vehicle programs.

• HAL has conducted wind tunnel tests for the Nag anti-tank guided missile at its “low-speed closed circuit tunnel.”
• HAL’s aerospace division at Bangalore manufactures wing bays, aerofoil wings, propellant tanks, and aluminum warhead casings for the Prithvi ballistic missile. Liquid-rocket engines for the Prithvi are produced at the Bangalore division’s Engine Test Bed Research & Development Centre. The latter has also developed the PTAE-7 jet engine for the Lakshya pilotless target aircraft.
• The Prithvi’s inertial measurement unit chassis, which is part of the inertial navigation hardware, is machined at HAL. Accelerometers of 50mg, 100ppm-class are produced at the company’s Kanpur division.
• The Hyderabad division of HAL manufactures components of the Prithvi’s servo control electronics such as the hybrid servo controller unit. Other devices used in the electro-hydraulic actuation systems of the Prithvi such as the bootstrap hydraulic reservoir, electro hydraulic servo actuator, pump motor package, accumulator, pressure relief valve, and return valve are manufactured at HAL’s Lukhnow division.