Bengaluru’s Merlinhawk Aerospace Launches Advanced Composites Facility in Tamil Nadu Defence Corridor

By Business Bureau

Bangalore Mail

Published: July 1, 2026

BENGALURU: In a significant boost to India’s self-reliance in defense manufacturing, Bengaluru-based Merlinhawk Aerospace has inaugurated a state-of-the-art advanced composites manufacturing facility in Shoolagiri, Tamil Nadu. Established in strategic partnership with Italy-based Vega Composites, the new unit is strategically located within the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor.

The high-tech facility is set to manufacture advanced composite aero structures and high-performance materials tailored for critical aerospace and defense platforms. These include components for manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems (drones), radar assemblies, and sophisticated electronic warfare structures.

Equipped with top-tier machinery and integrated systems sourced directly from European partners, the plant is fully capable of handling specialized composite manufacturing processes. These include precision cutting, cleanroom layup, and autoclave curing. Once the Shoolagiri facility reaches its full operational capacity, it is expected to generate employment for over 200 skilled professionals specializing in advanced materials and engineering.

A Major Milestone for Atmanirbhar Bharat

The facility was officially inaugurated on Tuesday by former Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi. Speaking at the event, Admiral Tripathi lauded the company’s long-standing contribution to the sector.

“Merlinhawk Aerospace has been at the forefront of developing indigenous solutions for high-end avionics technology for the last four decades, indigenizing a large number of vital components. I am confident that this facility will play an immense role in our nation’s design and manufacturing of advanced composite components for the defense and aerospace industry,” Admiral Tripathi stated.

Transitioning to Advanced Manufacturing

The expansion marks a pivotal evolution for the Bengaluru-headquartered firm, scaling its footprint from design engineering to large-scale specialized production.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the launch, R. Ramachandra Rao, Founder and Managing Director of Merlinhawk Aerospace, said: “This facility marks a defining step in Merlinhawk’s journey from systems engineering to advanced aerospace manufacturing. As global aerospace platforms increasingly rely on high-performance composite materials, it is critical for India to build integrated capabilities in design, materials, and manufacturing.”

With the global aerospace sector heavily pivoting toward lightweight, high-strength composite materials, this new Indo-Italian collaborative venture puts Bengaluru’s defense ecosystem at the center of the regional manufacturing boom.