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Further Reading

Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)

The HAL Cheetah helicopter units are used for observation, liaison and SAR duties. Army (and IAF) Cheetahs regularly support Indian Army troops at altitudes in excess of 24,000+ feet. The first Turbomeca TM 333-2B2-powered Cheetah was successfully test flown in January 2003, with a significant number of these helicopters likely to be fitted with this more powerful engine in order to modernise the Army Aviation Corps. Pushpinder Singh Chopra, in a June 2001 AW&ST issue, said a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program will replace the Cheetahs that HAL has built for the Army and Air Force.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has proposed development of a Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) of 3 ton class and Medium Lift Helicopter (MLH) of 10 ton class to complete the full range of helicopters. Both the IAF and the Army have projected a requirement for 187 LOHs, of which most will go to the Army. All these will be delivered during the 11th (2007-2012) and 12th (2012-2017) Defence Plans. As of 2008 the Army will get 133 light utility helicopters and the Air Force will get 64 of them. The Air Force version of the aircraft would be called Light Utility Helicopter while for the Army it would be known as Light Observation Helicopter.

Army Aviation Corps 2003 RFP

In December 2007 the Defence Ministry had scrapped the deal to purchase 197 helicopters from Eurocopter due to irregularities and a deviation in the contract. The Army Aviation Corps was looking to buy 197 helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Cheetahs and Chetaks. One requirement is that the copter be able to ferry loads of up to troops based in Kargil and Siachen and northern Sikkim, at heights more than 6600 meters. The Army Aviation Corp proposed to buy 55 helicopters outright, with another 142 to be built under licence at Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics. The deal was estimated to be worth more $500 million. By the end of the 10th army plan, it was envisaged to arm Army aviation formations six squadrons of 10 tonne-class.

Five contenders were initially in the running: Eurocopter, Bell, Italy's Agusta, and Russia's Kamov and Kazan, with the list narrowed to the Eurocopter AS 550 C3 Fennec and the Bell-407. Russia's Kamov 226 along with Bell and Eurocopter, had responded to the AAC's Request For Proposal in late 2003, but was eliminated early during the paper evaluation. Bell stated that it could deliver 60 aircraft from its US production line and manufacture the remainder with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Eurocopter's long successful partnership with India started more than 45 years ago with the licensing agreement to produce the "Alouette" and "Lama" helicopters in India, where they became the famous "Chetak" and "Cheetah" models. The Indian Army needed new helicopters to replace the ageing 1970s-vintage Chetak and Cheetah helicopters as it modernises and expands its Army Aviation Corps (AAC) to meet current and future rapid mobility battlefield requirements. The initial finalization for the Fennec was cancelled as a company called Vectra came in to play and trials were fouled by Bell's objections.

The Bell 407 and Eurocopter AS 550 underwent trials in Kargil and Siachen glacier heights as well as Thar deserts in Rajasthan. The Italian Augusta Westland EH101, which was also bidding, was not in contention.The Army may scale down the order in light of the HAL upgradation program for the Chetaks and Cheetah. The upgraded Cheetal version set a world record in November 2004, landing atop Sasser Kangri main peak at an altitude of 7759 meters.

On 06 December 2007 the defence ministry scrapped the Indian Army tender for 197 Eurocopter Fennec helicopters. Pointing to discrepancies in the evaluation process, it said a fresh request would be sent out soon. For almost a year, Eurocopter had made it known that it had won the $550 million order, while the other contender, Bell Helicopter, objected that it had been unfairly treated.

The MOD scrapped the deal claiming that the European company fielded a civilian version of the helicopter during trials. The company claimed that the AS350 B3 civilian version fielded for trials is exactly the same helicopter as the AS550 C3 military variant in terms of airframe, systems, main gear box, rotor head, blades, engine and performances. The MoD also claimed that the company had engaged a broker to bag the deal. But investigations revealed that Lt. Gen. H.S. Sehgal, who was directly involved in the evaluation of the helicopters, is the brother of Lt. Gen. (retd) S.J.S. Saighal, the chairman and managing director of Global Vectra Helicorp and Vectra Aviation - the sole distributor of the Eurocopter in India. The Indian Defence Procurement Procedure, banning agents, came into place in 2006 while the contract negotiations had been going on since 2001.

Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)

The Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) is a 3-ton helicopter, powered by a single Shakti engine (as compared with the dual-engine Dhruv). HAL will design and manufacture the core components like the main rotor, tail rotor, gearbox and weaponry, and buy less critical sub-systems from specialist manufacturers in the international market. At 200 kg (440 lbs), the LOH is to have three times the Cheetah's payload at 18,000 feet above sea level at 20C, the type of operating conditions needed in north-east Kashmir where the Cheetah conducts border patrols. The LOH is to be powered by a single TM 333-2B2 engine.

Army HQ refused to examine the LCH's potential as an armed Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), preferring to separately procure single-engined LOHs of a new design of foreign origin.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) recognised HAL's growing competence in helicopter design by nominating it to design and manufacture half of the 384 light observation helicopters (LOHs) required by India's military. HAL was given until 2017 to produce 187 LOHs. Meanwhile, the military's immediate needs would be met by buying 197 LOHs from the international market. The MoD imposed a strict timeline on HAL, including - for the first time ever - a penalty for delay. If HAL overshoots the 2017 deadline, the MoD will procure more helicopters from the global manufacturer selected to supply LOHs; HAL's order will correspondingly reduce. HAL is confident it will produce the LOH two years ahead of the MoD deadline, by 2015. HAL said in mid-2008 that with the LCH design complete, its in-house design center, called the Rotary Wing R&D Centre (RWRDC), was going full steam ahead on the LOH design.

For the LOH requirements of the Army and IAF, HAL proposed a lighter LCH-derived platform powered by a single TM333-2C2 Shakti engine. The LOH will feature a roof-mounted stabilised optronic turret housing an integrated long-range observation system comprising a thermal imager, laser rangefinder and daylight TV.

Light Utility Helicopter

In July 2008, in a major drive to modernise the armed forces and expand its aviation wing, the Defence Ministry issue a request for proposal (RFP) to procure 197 helicopters. The armed forces will modernise their helicopter fleet by 2010 by replacing the age-old Cheetah and Chetak, which had been in service for last 40 years. It was expected that the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will develop the remaining 115 helicopters. The proposed procurement is worth Rs. 3000 crore. HAL will undertake the maintenance of these helicopters on a transfer of technology (ToT) basis. It has assured that it will develop the same type of platforms in five to seven years and will fulfill the rest of the requirements. The trials will end by 2009 and the induction of 197 helicopters will take place by 2010.

Six foreign companies will bid for the helicopter deal. The companies are Bell (US), Eurocopter, Augusta Westland (Italy), Rosobornexport (Russia), MD Helicopters (US) and Sikorsky (US). The total number of helicopters may increase from 312 to 384 units due to a new requirement for a large number of heavy-lift helicopters.