OREANDA-NEWS. October 22, 2012. A preliminary design phase contract for Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) was signed by the client, the joint Indian-Russian Multirole Transport Aircraft Limited (MTAL) venture, and the contractors, Hindustan Aeronautics and United Aircraft Corporation - Transport Aircraft, reported the press-centre of UAC.    

The Contract gives the green light to design works, approved by the Ministries of Defence of Russia and India. The representatives of the Defence Ministries of the both countries will supervise carrying-out of the requirements for the aircraft on all the stages.

The contract was signed on part of the Client by Mr N.C. Agarwal, MTAL General Director, and on part of contractors by Mr S.Velmozhkin, UAC-TA General Director, and Mr. Shri T Suvarna Raju, Director (Design & Development) of HAL.

A long and complex preparatory phase in every sense has been completed for the project, which involves joint financing and workshare, and creation from scratch of a new plane for the air forces of both countries.

A large group of Indian engineers will arrive in Moscow soon to work on the project together with the Russian specialists. All the engineering facilities required for their work have already been prepared by UAC-TA.