In tune with the Make-in-India concept, the Indian Defence major Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAl) is all set to fly its new light Combat Helicopter (lCH) in the ensuing air show at Yelahanka air base at the outskirts of Bengaluru.
The three technology demonstrators of lCH designed and developed by the HAl will be flying in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be present during the five-day Aero India 2015 from February 18 to 22.
The HAl is banking on the 10th biennial carnival of military aircraft to showcase its new tandem combat helicopter which is expected to get its operational clearance in a few months’ time. HAl chairman T Suvarna Raju told The Pioneer in an exclusive interview that the HAl will get the initial operation by September 15 for lCA.
Raju said, “The helicopter has completed cold trail and both IAF and the Army have shown keen interest in this weaponised helicopter. I am confident that the lCA will meet their expectations. This is a typical Make in India product. We are one among the six countries in the world to design a combat helicopter.”
The HAl is expected to produce 179 lCHs for the Air Force and the Army. TD-1 was first flown on March 29, 2010 followed by TD-2 on June 28, 2011 - both costing around Rs 376 crore. A few months back, the HAl board sanctioned TD-3 and TD-4 at a cost of Rs 200 crore to speed up tests on its various systems. TD-4, meant for full weapon and avionics tests, would be readied in about three months.
The need for a versatile combat copter was felt after the 1999 Kargil attack. The lCH is designed to fly to a height of 7 km, provide air defence amidst mountains, against slow-moving targets, as air escort, in urban warfare, counter-insurgency and anti-tank operations.
TD-3 will be continuously test flown for further evaluations, especially with weapons. It will be assessed in very cold and very hot weathers, and in high altitudes and mountainous areas. later it would be used to fire with a turret gun and rocket.