Rangarao to strengthen helicopter manufacturing and defence production capabilities
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the leading Indian aerospace and defence company, has appointed P B Rangarao as Director (Operations). Before this appointment, Rangarao served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HAL’s Helicopter Complex.
In a press statement, HAL says that Rangarao joined the company as a Design Trainee in 1995 and has held several key positions during his three-decade career, spanning plant maintenance, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) manufacturing, Cheetah and Chetak projects, outsourcing and planning. Before becoming CEO of the Helicopter Complex, he served as Executive Director of the Helicopter Division.
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The statement adds that Rangarao contributed to strengthening HAL’s helicopter manufacturing capabilities, including operationalising the new Helicopter Division at Tumakuru in Karnataka, paving the way for the production rollout of the first batch of Light Utility Helicopters (LUH). He also oversaw the commissioning of Limited Series Production (LSP) bases for the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.
Rangarao played a key role in concluding the contract for 25 ALH Mk III helicopters for the Indian Army and signing the contract for 156 LCH Prachand helicopters for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.
According to the statement, he also helped re-establish supply chains for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters following the closure of Airbus facilities in France. Other initiatives included expanding production capacity through public-private partnerships, addressing obsolescence through indigenisation and streamlining manufacturing processes to improve the production efficiency of ALH components.
