Bangalore, Oct 24 (IANS): State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) is setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar for composites used in producing helicopters and aircraft for defence services.

Defence production secretary G. Mohan Kumar laid the foundation for the MRO hangar Thursday at the HAL complex here to store composites, formed by combining materials and used to build structures (fuselage) for choppers and military aircraft.

"We use composites in making airframes for advanced light helicopters (ALH) and light utility helicopters (LUH) and the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas," the defence behemoth said in a statement here Friday.

Interacting with the company's top brass, Kumar told HAL chairman R.K. Tyagi and senior executives to work on futuristic plans.

He said: "Priority should be given to workable modules in time-bond manner so that the company can deliver with ease, reduce cost and ensure quality standards that match the best global parameters."

Kumar also advised the company to develop aero engines and give thrust to outsourcing.