New Delhi: A state-owned defence company of India – Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL) claims that its upcoming helicopters can match the best in the world. HAL designed the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) which is extremely good at supporting air assault, combat logistics such as troop transport, VIP transport, casualty evacuation operations and air transport.
The media report says, the advanced helicopter developed by the HAL can carry 13 ton weight and it is capable enough to carry around 36 troops in a high-density configuration.
For the Indian Navy, Air Force and Army – The government of India may give order to HAL for 314 units – in which HAL may provide the Airbus Helicopters H225M, the Leonardo Helicopters AW101, the Mi-17, the NH Industries NH90, and the Sikorsky S-92 helicopters.
“India is the main customer for the helicopters.” HAL said.
HAL has designed the helicopter with the global market in mind and has “benchmarked” them against five current heavy-class rotorcraft.
HAL believes a replacement for the Mi-17 helicopters will draw export orders for the new helicopter.
The first flight of the IMRH is expected to take place four years after New Delhi’s green-light. This will be followed by an operational clearance of a basic utility variant for the Indian army after 24 months of testing, which will then be followed by an armed variant a year later.
However, HAL reveals that the IMRH’s engines will be sourced from a Western manufacturer for which two companies have already been asked for proposals for 2,800shp (2,000kW)-class power plants.
The entire transmission of the helicopter including the main and tail rotor gearboxes, plus the avionics and digital automatic flight controls, will be produced by HAL.
The IMRH helicopter’s payload at sea level will be 4 tons, which will fall to 1.5 tons at an altitude of 13,000 feet. The helicopter’s range has been predicted to be around 430nm (800km), with a top speed of 161kt (300km/h), report says.
-Vinayak.Barot