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Boeing picks Tata to make interiors for naval aircraft

India’s next four Poseidon-8I long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft could come fitted with domestically-made composite interior panels.

India’s next four Poseidon-8I long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft could come fitted with domestically-made composite interior panels.

Tata Advanced Materials Ltd (TAML), a subsidiary of Tata Industries, has been awarded a contract from Boeing to provide composite interior closeout panels for the P-8 aircraft that cover the interior wall structure of the aircraft, a statement from the Tatas said.

The contract entails supplying interior panels on a global basis. However, industry sources said it is not clear if the Indian version of the aircraft would come fitted with TAML-made panels as they are not the sole providers.

The P-8 is designed for long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare as well as armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

India had on July 27 signed an over $1-billion deal with American defence and aerospace major Boeing for procuring four additional Poseidon-8I. The contract is a follow-on order to eight P-81 planes already bought by India in a direct deal worth $2.1 billion with the firm.

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