Article Posted on : - Sep 10, 2010

An artistic representation of jointly developed multi-role transport aircraft. A file photo

NEW DELHI (BNS): India and Russia on Thursday have agreed to set up a $600.70 million joint venture to design and develop the Multi-role Transport Aircraft (MTA).

The cost of developing the aircraft will be shared equally between both countries, i.e. $300.35 million each.

Both India and Russia will jointly produce the aircraft at the manufacturing centers of Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), according to an Indian MoD news release.

Initially, the JV will manufacture 205 aircraft in which 30%of the aircraft could be exported to third countries.

The project has been approved by both the Government of India and the Government of Russian Federation. The aircraft is manufactured to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force and the Russian Air Force.

MTA is a 15-20 tonne payload capacity aircraft which has a maximum take-off weight of 65 tonnes with a cruise speed of 800 kmph in a range of 2500-2700 km. The aircraft will have two engines with state-of-the-art features such as fly-by-wire, full authority digital engine control, modern avionics and glass cockpit.

In 2007, Russia and India had signed an intergovernmental agreement on the joint development and manufacturing of the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA), after Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony visited Moscow.