Looking to speed up helicopter production, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday entered into separate partnerships with Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for manufacturing fuselage structures for the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).“Under the agreements, BEML and Adani Defence will manufacture 48 and 42 fuselage structures, respectively,” the company said in a statement. HAL is a listed public sector undertaking (PSU), with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) holding a majority stake. BEML is also an MoD PSU.The term ‘fuselage’ in aviation terminology refers to the main structure of an aircraft or helicopter.HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K. said, “For the first time, private industry is being integrated into the production of helicopter fuselage structures. This partnership will expand capacity, strengthen the domestic supply chain and contribute to enhancing indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities.”In March last year, the Ministry of Defence signed two contracts with HAL for the supply of 156 Light Combat Helicopters, along with training and other associated equipment, worth Rs 62,700 crore.The first contract is for the supply of 66 LCHs to the Indian Air Force (IAF), while the second is for the supply of 90 LCHs to the Indian Army.The supply of these helicopters is scheduled to commence in the third year, that is, March 2028, and will be spread over the next five years, until 2033. The LCH is intended to enhance the combat capability of the Armed Forces at high altitudes.HAL has augmented its production capacity and has already commenced production of the 156 LCHs at its new helicopter manufacturing facility in Tumakuru, Karnataka.The establishment of two additional production lines—one at BEML and the other at Adani Defence—will further enhance the overall manufacturing capability for the LCH programme and support the timely delivery of the helicopters to the Indian Armed Forces, HAL said on Friday.The expanded industrial base is also expected to create opportunities for a wider network of Indian MSMEs, component manufacturers and aerospace suppliers, contributing to the development of specialised capabilities and strengthening the domestic aerospace supply chain.The LCH is India’s first indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter, capable of operating at altitudes over 5,000 metres (more than 16,000 feet). The helicopter has many components designed and manufactured in India, and it is planned to achieve an overall indigenous content of over 65% during this procurement.Tushar Ranjan Behera, General Manager, Helicopter Division, signed the agreements on Friday with Commodore R. G. K. Rao (retd.), Executive Director, Aerospace and Maritime, BEML, and Prasanna Karthik, Vice President, ADSTL, representing Adani Defence.