India To Buy 50 Utility Copters for Navy

[CONNAN]

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4600145&c=ASI&s=AIR

By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
Published: 27 Apr 2010 12:16


NEW DELHI - The Indian Navy has issued a request for information (RfI) to four companies to purchase 50 light utility helicopters.

The RfI was sent to France's Eurocopter, Italy's AgustaWestland, the United States' Bell Helicopter and Russia's Kamov Co. The helicopters are intended to replace aging Chetak helicopters bought 30 years ago.

Eurocopter dauphin

The planned naval purchase is in addition to the procurement, initiated last year, of 384 light utility helicopters for the Air Force and Army.

The Navy is looking for a modern twin-engine helicopter with fully integrated advanced avionics. The Navy requires the helicopters to have controls for two pilots but be capable of being operated by a single pilot. The helicopters should have the capability of carrying out anti-submarine attacks with torpedoes and depth charges, in addition to anti-terrorism and anti-piracy roles, a Navy official said.

The helicopters will be used for search-and-rescue missions, casualty evacuation, observation and surveillance, and limited electronic intelligence gathering.

Italy's AgustaWestland

kamov ka 60

bell

 

[chachachoudhary]

What are the reasons given by navy while rejecting ALH Dhruv?

 

[Lilo]

What are the reasons given by navy while rejecting ALH Dhruv?

Might be that Dhruv was optimised for high altitude performance and operation in thin atmospheres.

While naval copters are required to operate in the dense, humid and salty conditions at low level for ASW/Rescue ops.Naval Helis are also expected to operate over extended hours without landing which may not be what Dhruv was optimised for.

Further Dhruv doesnt have foldable blades which i expect would be required for navy to save deck space on ACs etc.

Mind u i dont know for a fact and all the above were my guesses.

 

[CONNAN]

What are the reasons given by navy while rejecting ALH Dhruv?

Navy plans to ditch Dhruv helicopters- Hindustan Times

The Indian Navy has virtually written off the naval variant of the advanced light helicopter (ALH), Dhruv, saying it has failed to meet basic operational requirements. The navy, which operates a fleet of six ALHs, has decided against placing further orders with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

A senior navy official told HT, “The ALH has a long way to go before the programme matures sufficiently for it to undertake basic naval roles such as search and rescue (SAR) and communication duties.” He said the helicopter’s ASW (anti-submarine warfare) version developed by HAL still falls short of naval expectations.

Navy officials said that the ALH lacks the desired endurance for mission requirements. The navy is also not satisfied with the chopper’s rotor blade folding mechanism for storage on warships and its payload capacity. The navy has launched a global hunt for new ASW helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Sea King helicopters.

However, HAL remains buoyant about domestic helicopter sale prospects with the defence ministry entrusting it with the task of developing light utility helicopters for the army and the air force. The ministry has allocated Rs 435 crore for this. The defence public sector undertaking is focusing aggressively on the helicopter business and plans to set up a new helicopter division in Bangalore.

 

[chachachoudhary]

It seems navy's problems are genuine.

However, it does not mean anything for ALH as the order books are already full as army liked it for its high altitude performance. To date, over 300 orders are placed and still pouring from army, paramilitary, coast guard, heli ambulance operators, and yes some foreign countries.

 

[DMLA]

What are the reasons given by navy while rejecting ALH Dhruv?

The reasons for not selecting ALH aside, the fact remains that the above mentioned rfi is for a light utility helicopter in the range of Chetak (as mentioned). Dhruv is almost two times heavier and thus cannot be used in this role. The reasons given by IN for rejecting Dhruv make ton of sense. In fact, DRDO has addressed a few of those concerns but decided not to go ahead with major modifications as IN specified that its requirement is either in the 2.5-3 ton category (LUH) or 10+ ton ASW helicopters (sea kings/ replacement).

 

[TheBraveHeart]

Shouldnt the IN buy only a few(20-25) as stopgap arrangement and latter on go for indigenous LOH with modifications as per needs??

 

[CONNAN]

Shouldnt the IN buy only a few(20-25) as stopgap arrangement and latter on go for indigenous LOH with modifications as per needs??

Navy officials said that the ALH lacks the desired endurance for mission requirements. The navy is also not satisfied with the chopper’s rotor blade folding mechanism for storage on warships and its payload capacity. The navy has launched a global hunt for new ASW helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Sea King helicopters.

However, HAL remains buoyant about domestic helicopter sale prospects with the defence ministry entrusting it with the task of developing light utility helicopters for the army and the air force. The ministry has allocated Rs 435 crore for this. The defence public sector undertaking is focusing aggressively on the helicopter business and plans to set up a new helicopter division in Bangalore.