India’s very own light combat helicopter manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is now undergoing final testing in Ladakh.
This demonstration carried out at the request of the Indian Army is expected to be the last before orders are placed by the Indian Air Force and the army for the indigenous light utility helicopter, Livefist Defence has reported.
These helicopters had landed in Ladakh on 19 August and began flying high-altitude sorties between Leh, Daulat Beg Oldie and even Siachen. This demonstration comes at a time when India is locked in a standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
The Indian Armed Forces require about 200 of these light utility choppers which are expected to replace the legacy Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
These helicopters received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in February with the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) expected to arrive next year.
Source: Swarajya Magazine
You may also like
-
India’s First Fleet Support Ship Set for Launch as Hindustan Shipyard Expands Capacity for 45,000-Tonne Vessels
-
HAL Koraput to Add ₹218-Crore Shakti Engine Production Line as India Marks 2,000th Aero-Engine Milestone
-
Indian Defence Production Delegation Visits Saab in Sweden as Defence Co-Manufacturing Talks Deepen
-
DRDO Expands Space-Based ELINT and RF Geolocation Technologies for Future Defence Surveillance
-
Indian Army Tests Apache 30 mm Cannon Against Aerial Target in Counter-Drone Validation
