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Poland, India to sign accord on Skytruck

Poland has also evinced keen interest for joint ventures with India for the manufacture of defence hardware like anti-aircraft guns and military communications systems.

Romuald Szeremietiew, Poland's Deputy Minister of Defence, told newspersons in New Delhi that new possibilities had emerged where his country and India could cooperate.

The Skytruck is a non-pressurised, braced high-wing 19-seater monoplane that as a military utility vehicle can be used for surveillance, coast guard duties and commando operations.

In its civilian role it is ideal for regional use, the minister said, before leaving for the Aero India-2000 show at Bangalore, where the Skytruck will be displayed.

The Bryza, the Skytruck's military version, evinced big interest during North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises, Szeremietiew said, adding that the plane as an AWAC could fly five to six hours.

The agreement, to be signed between Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze, Mielec and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will investigate ways and means to cooperate in its customisation, modification, certification, production and marketing.

It will also look into ways of reaching an understanding for the design and production development of equipment, accessory manufacture and marketing and modernisation and upgradation for military training as well as civilian use.

The minister said the Skytruck being brought for the air show will be left behind in India for relief work in quake-hit Gujarat, where a Polish team has set up a hospital.

Binay Kumar, president of the Indo-Polish Chamber of Commerce, said during a visit last November of a defence delegation from Warsaw, a survey revealed that at least 200 Skytrucks could be manufactured and sold in India and other countries in south Asia for use as regional transport.

The aircraft has an average yield per km of Rs 610, the average cost per seat is Rs 34 and a total yield of Rs 34,000 per hour. It has a payload of 2,000 kg.

India is producing the Polish trainer plane ISKRA on which many Indian pilots have been trained.

UNI

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