By Admin 
The name of the new CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the government aviation company that manufactures Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jet, has been announced. The government has appointed HAL’s operations director Ravi K. Has been appointed as the new Chairman-Managing Director. LCA-man Ravi is being given this responsibility at a time when HAL is facing delays in the LCA project and the government undertaking is now preparing to try its hand in civil aviation.
Current CMD DK Sunil is retiring this year on April 30, 2026. After his retirement, Ravi will take charge of HAL. Ravi, who has higher education from France with Mechanical Engineering and IIM (Ahmedabad), has been in the aviation sector for the last 30 years.
Tejas’s IAF Important role in fighting squadron
As Operations Director, Ravi is responsible for the strategic and functional planning of HAL. Apart from this, development of HAL’s capabilities and indigenization of aircraft manufactured by the company is also included. Ravi was instrumental in inducting Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, manufactured by HAL, into the fighting squadrons of the Indian Air Force.
In which works Ravi plays an important role?
In recent years, Ravi had also played an important role in two big contracts of LCA-Mark 1A for the Air Force on behalf of the Defense Ministry, the first of which includes the contract of 83 Mark-1A worth Rs 36 thousand crore in the year 2021 and the second contract of 97 fighter planes in the year 2025. It is believed that in the coming times, LCA Tejas fighter jets will prove to be the backbone of Air Force operations.
Ravi also made an important contribution in setting up the facilities of HAL, through which 16 LCA fighter jets could be produced every year. Apart from HAL, the government has also appointed Ravi as nominee director of the Air Force’s ambitious Multi Role Transport Aircraft (MRTA) project.
US Aircraft engines are not coming, construction is getting delayed
Ravi may have to face delays in the LCA Tejas project during his tenure. Because the aviation engine (F-404) supplied from America for the indigenous fighter aircraft is facing a lot of problems. The sour relations with America are believed to be the reason for this delay. This is the reason why the government has approved 114 Make in India Rafale (Rafale) for the Air Force with the help of France.
It is noteworthy that recently HAL has entered civil aviation. HAL has displayed the SJ-100 plane, Hindustan-228 aircraft and Dhruv-NG helicopter to be made in collaboration with Russia in the Wings India exhibition running from 28 to 31 January in Hyderabad.