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Hellenic Aerospace Industry

Established in 1975, The Hellenic Aerospace Industry S.A. (HAI) is one of the major state-owned defense companies in Greece with an established reputation in the international market as a reliable service provider and business partner. HAI is located 65 kilometers N.W. from Athens, with a capacity of covered area 200,000 sq.m. Its highly operational, efficient industrial capability is organized by dedicated production centers geared to deliver high performance quality services and products in a diversified range of activities.

The GOG's objective was the development of a modern aircraft maintenance and overhaul capability in Greece. The consortium, which included Lockheed, GE, Westinghouse, and Snecma, helped to establish HAI's facilities and train its workforce. It also agreed to provide HAI with future, regional aircraft maintenance work.

Since 1976, HAI has continually, if slowly, expanded its maintenance and overhaul capabilities. It serviced fighter aircraft, helicopters, and transport aircraft, including thelargest civilian and military transports. HAI's capabilities include maintenance, overhaul and testing of aircraft engines and electronics. Its manufacturing capability, however, is limited to relatively simple components.

HAI is the largest state-owned defence company in Greece with an established reputation in the international market as a reliable supplier of aerospace/defence products and services provider employing about 3000 people as of 2005. Its industrial capability is organized in six core businesses geared to deliver high performance quality services and products in a diversified range of activities, including: 1) Military Aircraft and Engine MRO maintenance, repair, overhaul, modifications, upgrades and logistics support; 2) Civil Aircraft MRO, 3) Development, design, manufacturing and after sales support of electronic, optronic and telecommunication products as well as Codevelopment and co-production of weapon systems, 4) Satellite applications, 5) Aerostructures manufacturing and assembly, 6) Technical and vocational training in a wide range of aerospace industry skills.

It is expanding its capabilities to strategic areas by establishing an aerospace design center and a composite material production factory. It also has long experience in Research, Development and Technology operations both, in the electronics area where many products have been developed and designed in house and in composite materials. Also HAI established EMC HELLAS, a company with its primary mission to provide certification for Electromagnetic compatibility. EMC has the largest electromagnetic chamber in the Balkan region and one of the largest in Europe with capability to test even military tanks and aircraft.

HAI's track record in selected fields of expertise is testified by its strong and reputable presence in the global market as a supplier to more than 90 customers from 38 nations including Armed Forces and industrial enterprises many of which have exhibited more than 20 years of loyalty. Among these manufacturers are LOCKHEED MARTIN, PRATT & WHITNEY, BOEING, RAYTHEON, EADS, AIRBUS, DASSAULT, SNECMA and ALENIA. HAI has been awarded the distinction of "GOLDEN SUPPLIER" by BOEING, and recognized as "OUTSTANDING POWERPLANT & AIRCRAFT SOURCE OF REPAIR" by NATO for the Year 2003.

HAI's strategy is to continuously expand its participation in the global market and reduce its dependence on the domestic market, primarily the Hellenic Ministry of Defense and the Hellenic Armed Forces. In this direction HAI has established strategic partnerships with several world leading manufacturers in the aerospace and defense industry.

HAI has signed important partnership agreements with a value of expected subcontracting business of over 800 million euros: with Lockheed Martin whereby HAI becomes its sole source manufacturer on major parts of the F-16 aircraft; with EADS, the European consortium, THALES of France, FINMECCANICA of Italy and INDRA of Spain. In addition, HAI established a Joint Venture with PRATT & WITNEY named 1SOURCE AEROSERVICES with a mission to become the MRO provider on a variety of commercial and military engines components, operating worldwide. Furthermore, HAI is intensifying its efforts to promote its participation to global programs of high technology and added value content that can offer substantial, longterm co-operations. One example is HAI's participation to a European Consortium for the development and production of the IRIS-T Air-to-Air Missile.

Through the F-16 coproduction program, the coproduction program with France's Dassault-Breguet corporation tied to the purchase of 40 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft, and several other military and commercial aircraft subcontracts, the GOG planned to upgrade HAI as an aerospac emanufacturing company. The GOG also expected that the new work acquired through coproduction would simultaneously ensure stable or increased employment rates for the HAI workforce, including over 700 new jobs by 1991.

Lockheed Martin and HAI explored the possibility to establish HAI as a Single Source supplier for a number of F-16 fighter aircraft structural subassemblies. Furthermore, HAI and Pratt & Whitney have established a Joint Venture titled "1 st Source Aeroengines Services". The mission of this new company will be the MRO of a number of controls and accessories on a variety of commercial and military engines operating word wide. In addition, HAI operates as one of the world's six T56 Engine Authorized Maintenance Centers (AMC's) under certification by Rolls-Royce, and is also certified as AMC for C-130 aircraft by Lockheed Martin, for M53 engine by SNECMA and T53 engine by Honeywell.

HAI also operated as a certified maintenance center by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) in accordance with JAR-145, and its Quality System has been approved by a number of organizations and major aerospace manufacturers such as, Airbus, Dassault Aviation, EADS, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon, Boeing, SNECMA and General Electric. HAI is a partner to Hellas Sat Consortium S.A. and is participating in a number of European Consortia for the co-production and development of weapon systems, such as, IRIS-T, STINGER, ESSM, and the Integrated Eurotraining System (ITS). In June 2005 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) and Lockheed Martin announced plans to jointly study and evaluate the advanced jet training needs of the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and the potential contribution each could make if the T-50 Training System should be selected. The agreement provided for a one-year study, but could be extended if all parties concur. Executives from the three companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Paris Air Show. Signing the document were H.J. Chung, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of KAI; Tassos Philippakos, CEO of HAI; and Ralph Heath, Lockheed Martin executive vice president-Aeronautics. "We think the T-50 could be one of the great trainers of all time," said Chung. "KAI has been eager to expand our international involvement to Europe, and this collaborative effort could be an excellent opportunity to begin. This reminds me of how the T-50 started about 10 years ago - as the KTX II conceptual study between KAI's predecessor Samsung Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' predecessor General Dynamics - for a new jet trainer for the Republic of Korea Air Force."