Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract for 41 indigenously developed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) for the Army and Navy.
“The contracts for supply of 41 ALHs amounting to around Rs 6100 crore will be executed in a period of 60 months,” HAL said in a statement on Monday. Of these 40 helicopters are for the Army and one for the Navy.
T. Suvarna Raju, CMD HAL said that the order reposes faith of Indian armed forces in the indigenous ALH. In March this year HAL had signed a contract for supply of 32 ALH to the Navy and Coast Guard.
Dhruv has been indigenously designed and developed by HAL and is developed by a Shakti engine jointly developed by HAL and Turbomeca of France and there are more than 200 helicopters in service with Indian armed forces.
For the Army and Air Force which depend on helicopters to sustain the troops on icy heights of Siachen glacier, the ALH has emerged as a lifeline. The ALH has also been exported to several countries in the region and as part of military diplomacy India has offered it to several friendly countries in the neighbourhood and South East Asia and discussions are on.
As on end 2016, the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) was operating 126 Cheetah, 55 Chetak and 65 ALH Dhruv for multi-purpose and utility roles. While the Cheetah and Chetaks are ageing platforms in need of replacement, the low production rate of Dhruv’s, eight per year, by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is limiting their induction in large numbers. The production is expected to go up with another helicopter assembly line getting ready.
HAL has also set up mini Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at forward bases to improve availability rate of the helicopters.
ALH has a weaponised variant Rudra which is in the process of being inducted in the Army.
