State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will supply 159 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to the Army and the Indian Air Force from this year till 2016 at a cost of $1.25 billion.
MM Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence informed the parliament that HAL has so far delivered 22 ALHs to Indian Air Force (IAF) and 40 to the Army. Contracts for supply of 159 ALHs to the Army and IAF were signed in December 2007. These Helicopters are planned to be delivered during 2009-2016.
HAL has designed and developed the Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) in 5.5 ton category to suit the requirement of our Armed Forces. In addition, homegrown Light combat Helicopter (LCH) and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) are at the development stage.
The LCH will be used as an attack helicopter, would weigh around 5.5 tons, be able to fly for three up to a height of six kilometers and be powered by two engines. It will carry a homegrown gyro-stabilized sighting system comprising a high-performance thermal imager and laser rangefinder with a four-kilometer detection range of a NATO tank target.
While HAL is now exploring a foreign partner for its indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) programme. The LUH programme will be separate from the ongoing Dhruv advanced light helicopter and light combat helicopter programmes.
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