Quality management system for defence aeronautical industry

Indian defence aeronautical industry, while becoming a global business, demands a large effort to monitor quality management system (QMS) and to ensure quality of aeronautical products. An effort is being made to look for an effective QMS for aeronautical industry in India, which will also meet the requirements of the regulatory authority. The essential features of an effective QMS are described and compared with the presently available QMS standards for defence aeronautical industry such as QCSR: 2002 (DGAQA, India), Def Stan (MoD, UK), ISO, AQAPs (NATO) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) aerospace standards (AS). Evolution, relevance and review of the existing standards, to meet the requirements of the industry as well as regulatory authority, have been made to bring out the special features and differences. The study leads to the most acceptable standard of SAE-AS-9100 (Rev B). With suitable modifications to include regulatory requirement of assistance for government quality assurance in the standard, when complied with, it will fully meet the QMS requirements of the Indian defence aeronautical supply organisations as well as the requirements of the regulatory authority. Minor reorientation of the regulatory functions and inclusion of the QMS in the defence aeronautical supply orders are also suggested.