Indian army to Bulk Order HAL LUH choppers by Next year as Russian Ka 226T likely to get cancelled

NewsBharati    25-Oct-2023 18:46:25 PM
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The Indian Army is exploring a bulk order of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-made light utility helicopter (LUH) by early next year, according to The Hindu.
 
 
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Furthermore, the Indian Army is slated to get the first LUHs from the initial batch of 12 limited series production (LSP) helicopters purchased by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in 2021 at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.
The deliveries are anticipated to begin in December 2024.
 
6 of the 12 LUHs ordered are for the Indian Air Force (IAF), while the remaining six are for the Indian Army.
It's worth mentioning that the delivery of these 12 helicopters was delayed owing to a problem with the auto-pilot technology.
However, this issue has already been overcome, and the delivery of all 12 LUHs is projected to be finished by June 2025.
 
"The problem with the LUH's autopilot has been resolved, and the HAL trials have begun. "The six LSP LUH are planned to be delivered to the Army between December 2024 and June 2025.The larger contract for LUH is likely to be completed by January 2024, with deliveries beginning in 2026 or later, according to the article.
In an even more important development for the defense aircraft manufacturing business, an Indo-Russian arrangement for the joint production of 200 Ka-226T helicopters by HAL is all but dead.

In addition, the Indian Army intends to retire its aging Cheetah and Chetak helicopters beginning in 2027.
The army now employs a fleet of 190 Cheetah, Chetak, and Cheetal helicopters, which make up the majority of the army's light helicopter force.
 
Furthermore, the IAF employs 120 of these helicopters, as well as an extra 18 modern Cheetal helicopters.
"Around 25 of these are at HAL for maintenance at any given time, which is a deficiency of around 37% in this segment," the insider said. According to The Hindu, "the majority of the fleet, close to 130 of the 190, are between 30 and 50 years old."
 
Around 134 helicopters, or more than 70% of the 190 Cheetah and Chetaks in service, are over 30 years old.
These small helicopters are critical in assisting high-altitude installations in areas such as Siachen and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Since 2020, the continuous impasse at the LAC with China has increased to the burden on an already aged helicopter force.

The new LUH orders will assist fill the void created by the retirement of the army's and IAF's light helicopter fleet's Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
HAL LUHchoppers IAF Indian army Chetak Cheetah Cheetal