Collins Aerospace to triple sourcing levels in India

Interview with Savyasachi Srinivas, Vice President of Engineering, Collins Aerospace

From supplying advanced systems for both commercial and defence platforms to expanding its manufacturing and research and development or R&D footprint, Collins Aerospace plays an important role in supporting India’s aviation sector, Savyasachi Srinivas, Vice President of Engineering, Collins Aerospace tells Biz@India.

What is your current footprint in India? Who are your key customers?

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has a long-standing partnership with India’s civil aviation industry. Our products and solutions including nacelles, landing gear, flight deck avionics, sensors and interiors are found on most commercial platforms operating in India today, including Boeing, Airbus, ATR, Embraer and Bombardier aircraft.

We also have a history of supporting the Indian Air Force (IAF) with products on platforms like the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1 and current platforms such as the C-17, C-295, C-130J, P-8I, AH-64E, CH-47F and MH-60R.

As one of the largest exporters of aerospace products in India with over 6,000 employees, Collins Aerospace has helped the country become a major aerospace manufacturing hub with a thriving ecosystem.

In which segment do you see the highest potential for growth in India?

As India embarks on its next phase of modernisation and indigenisation, RTX’s advanced products and solutions will provide the technological edge and missionreadiness required for the Indian Armed Forces’ next-generation programmes, such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA), and the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH). We are also exploring contributions to indigenous programmes on the commercial side, such as the Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA).

How has your manufacturing presence in India grown over the years?

Over the past five years, RTX has invested more than USD 240 million in its manufacturing, engineering and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities in India through its businesses Collins and Pratt & Whitney. Collins Aerospace actively collaborates with supplier partners in the Indian region, aiming to triple sourcing levels over the next three-tofour years.

This growth is driven by India’s competitive manufacturing capabilities, a robust aerospace ecosystem, and a talented pool of engineers and technicians. Additionally, supportive government policies towards aerospace and defence manufacturing in India have significantly contributed to this growth, fostering a synergistic partnership between Collins and the Indian industry.

Are you looking to set up manufacturing facilities as India has the largest number of passenger jets on order?

Collins is focussed on bringing the manufacturing of advanced aerostructures, interiors and avionics to India. The Collins India Operations Centre (CIOC), established in 1997 has over 27 years of manufacturing experience. Our new state-ofthe-art, 26-acre CIOC campus is located at Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) Aerospace Park, Bengaluru.

Equipped with advanced manufacturing technologies, it produces seating, lighting, cargo, sensors, electronics and evacuation slides. Bengaluru is the only site working with all five portfolios within Collins, namely avionics, interiors, advanced structures, power and controls and mission systems. We are exploring additional investments to further enhance our engineering, aftermarket and manufacturing capabilities in the country.

To what extent have autonomous flying systems evolved? What is your target in terms of autonomous flying?

At Collins Aerospace, we are intently focussed on building the foundational technologies that enable increasing levels of autonomous flight. We are developing the critical communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems and sensor decision support systems that position pilots as the decision-making hub of an intelligent flight ecosystem. Our goals with autonomous flight systems are simple, that I improve pilot operations, enhance safety throughout the airspace and maximise operational efficiencies.

Collins sees more autonomous flight operations as crucial to enabling peak pilot performance, particularly within increasingly complex airspaces. The amount of available data in the cockpit can be overwhelming and at times, diverting pilot attention. Collins is developing cockpit-integrated sensing and analytic technology that can seamlessly collect, aggregate and analyse real-time data flow, presenting operators with recommendations that can either be accepted or declined. This approach allows the machine to perform highly cognitive data tasks while ensuring humans are focussed on critical flight management tasks and remain the pilot in command.