Weaponisation of Dhruv on: HAL

Bangalore, Jan 19: Weaponisation of Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv, is on schedule and the first chopper was likely to be rolled out by 2008, HAL said today.

Initially, HAL would deliver four Naval versions on weaponised mode during 2008-09, followed by the Army requirement, HAL Chief Test Pilot Wg Cdr C Upadhyay told visiting newspersons at the HAL Helicopter Division here.

Weaponised Dhruv could provide air support and fire anti-tank missiles on land and could also be used in anti-submarine warfare and anti-vessel operations.

The Naval armament would include surveillance radar, sonar/ sonics, two torpedos or depth charges and two anti-ship missiles, while the Army and Air Force weaponised variants would include a 20 mm turret gun mounted on the front, four air-to-air missiles, radar warning receiver flare and chaff dispense, four 70 mm rocket pods and two anti-tank machine guns.

HAL had also successfully tested the glass cockpit in high altitudes and future Dhruvs would have the facility, enabling pilots to have a visual display in four screens all the necessary information and parameters generated through a computer mounted in the chopper.

With 65 Dhruvs of various variants already flying with the IAF, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and other civilian users, HAL was slowly stepping up production. Next year, 24 Dhruvs would be produced and from 2009, the number would be enhanced to 33, a senior HAL official told UNI.

The production hangar was in full swing as HAL was completing the second squadron for Army, with the IAF already having two squadrons.

HAL was also enhancing the engine power of Dhruv using a high power engine 'Shakti', jointly developed by HAL and Turbomeca. The certification for the first machine was expected later this year.

Wg Cdr Upadhyaya said the Rotary wing Academy of HAL had started training Army pilots and civilians who have passed pre-university.

Lasting for one year, the training would enable the trainees to put in about 150 hrs of flying, before they get a licence. Bank loan was also being provided. A number of companies recruit pilots who train from the Academy. Pawan Hans, a State-owned helicopter charter company, had also sought the Academy's assistance for training their pilots.

UNI