IAF to assemble 50 more Mi17 choppers

[janon]

(Great development. Now IAF's base repair depots are able to assemble aircrafts, which is what HAL has done for most of its existence.)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...0-more-Mi17-choppers/articleshow/25018691.cms

NAGPUR: The Indian Air Force (IAF) may soon assemble another 50 Mi-17 helicopters at its base repair depot (BRD) in Chandigarh. The BRDs come under the IAF's Maintenance Command, which is headquartered at Nagpur.

"So far we have successfully assembled 80 helicopters at the BRD in Chandigarh. There are plans to take up the job for another batch of 50 soon," said Air-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of the Maintenance Command Air Marshal P Kanakraj while talking to newspersons on the sidelines of the Nagpur air show.

He said there has been considerable progress in indigenization of spares for the helicopters. For certain older versions, the IAF has been able to make as much as 95% of the spares on its own.

Similarly, IAF has also taken up the job to overhaul SU30 fighter planes. However, it is still at an initial stage, with only 5 to 10% of the job being done here. However, Kanakraj hopes for an improvement in the coming days.

Normally, public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) does the job of assembling aircraft. But recently even the IAF has diversified into this field, starting with helicopters. So far, even the overhaul of SU30s was done by HAL, which makes the aircraft, but due to the increasing workload, IAF has taken up a part of the job.

 

[Yogi]

the follow on for Mi17V5 was for 59 units, so i guess 9 more will follow soon...

 

[janon]

I didn't know that the Mi-17s were assembled in India. That is great news. I really hope the forces (army and AF) will order more of these, they are very versatile helos, whether for attack or troop transport. Gives tremendous flexibility on the battlefield. It is time to standardise our fleet on Dhruvs and Mi-17s, both manufactured/assembled locally.

I wonder if we plan to get the EW variants as well.

 

[Contrarian]

The Army needs atleast 100 more Mi-17V5's to become more air mobile.

 

[Abingdonboy]

the follow on for Mi17V5 was for 59 units, so i guess 9 more will follow soon...

AFAIK the follow-on order was for 71 units NOT 59:


http://zeenews.india.com/news/natio...-mi-17-v5-helicopters-from-russia_804933.html
http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2012/2/20/802/
https://defence.pk/threads/india-to-buy-42-su-30mkis-71-mi-17-v5-helicopters-from-russia.212457/


So 151 units (80+71)


139 of these were for the IAF and the remaining 12 were for the MHA and ICG. Hopefully the ARC of RAW get their hands on a few units either in this batch or follow-on orders placed later.

 

[sancho]

The Army needs atleast 100 more Mi-17V5's to become more air mobile.

The army needs them under their control first!

 

[Contrarian]

True.
IAF and IA should separately have their choppers as what the needs are.

Alternatively form a Transport Command like US has.

 

[Yogi]

AFAIK the follow-on order was for 71 units NOT 59:


http://zeenews.india.com/news/natio...-mi-17-v5-helicopters-from-russia_804933.html
http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2012/2/20/802/
https://defence.pk/threads/india-to-buy-42-su-30mkis-71-mi-17-v5-helicopters-from-russia.212457/


So 151 units (80+71)


139 of these were for the IAF and the remaining 12 were for the MHA and ICG. Hopefully the ARC of RAW get their hands on a few units either in this batch or follow-on orders placed later.

What ur saying is also correct as the follow on was for 71 only but it was 59 for IAF n remaining 12 for MHA n others.

 

[Screambowl]

God help the IAF assembled Mi17s

 

[sancho]

True.
IAF and IA should separately have their choppers as what the needs are.

Alternatively form a Transport Command like US has.

Suppose IA would get the Mi 17 fleet, where do you see the need for IAF to have additional medium class helicopters?

 

[Contrarian]

Suppose IA would get the Mi 17 fleet, where do you see the need for IAF to have additional medium class helicopters?

For IAF specifically?
Not much, but again IAF has its own lift requirements throughout the country...and asking IA to lend choppers is almost the same sad situation as IA having to ask IAF for their requirements.

Either a common Transport Command or dedicated choppers for each wing is ideal.

 

[sancho]

For IAF specifically?
Not much, but again IAF has its own lift requirements throughout the country

Yes for them only and when you say throughout the country, helicopters with limited range can't be a useful plattfrom right? I'm just trying to figure out, what roles for medium class helicopters would be left in IAF, when IA would be able to lift and support their ground forces on their own? Imo at 90% of the use of the Mi 17 is related to IA's ground forces and even if we take rescue operation like in the Kedarnath floods to account, all that would have changed, would be, that IA would be in control of most of the rescue helicopters. supported by IAFs heavy lift helicopters and the fixed wing fleet.

 

[Contrarian]

Yes for them only and when you say throughout the country, helicopters with limited range can't be a useful plattfrom right? I'm just trying to figure out, what roles for medium class helicopters would be left in IAF, when IA would be able to lift and support their ground forces on their own? Imo at 90% of the use of the Mi 17 is related to IA's ground forces and even if we take rescue operation like in the Kedarnath floods to account, all that would have changed, would be, that IA would be in control of most of the rescue helicopters. supported by IAFs heavy lift helicopters and the fixed wing fleet.

Yup. As I said, not much.
But they do require a small fleet for themselves.

In any case, it is only prudent that Heavy Lift and Attack Choppers be transferred to the Army.
I dont really understand why IAF fights tooth and nail over everything that flies. They made such a drama before giving the Navy their Maritime Patrol Crafts as well!

 

[sancho]

Yup. As I said, not much.
But they do require a small fleet for themselves.

In any case, it is only prudent that Heavy Lift and Attack Choppers be transferred to the Army.
I dont really understand why IAF fights tooth and nail over everything that flies. They made such a drama before giving the Navy their Maritime Patrol Crafts as well!

I disagree on that, here infact IAF is using them often for other operations, like road building, support to ISRO..., which are not necessarily related to IA. Moreover, to provide heavy lift cargo support to areas where their fixed winged aircrafts can't be used, IAF needs the heavy lift heavylift helicopters as an extention of their fleet. But that is just a minor part of the helicopter fleet anyway, but apart from LUH, Dhruvs and the HLHs I don't really see a need for more helicopters in IAF.

 

[Abingdonboy]

@sancho, i agree- give all rotary wings over than Chinooks over to the IA except for a limited number of V5s for the IAF's specific roles ie CSAR and such (although they can buy their own dedicated and customised helos for such roles in an ideal world).

It certainly makes more sense for the IA to get such assets, the only thing is it would take a while to get the requisite number of AAC pilots up to scratch. But no doubt about it AAC pilots are amongst the best helo pilots in the world and will properly utilise the helos to support the IA as a whole.