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‘HAL’s light helicopters are overweight’

The comptroller and audit general finds many flaws in advance light helicopters made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

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The comptroller and audit general (CAG) has slammed Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for technological gaps in advanced light helicopters (ALHs).

In a report on the defence public sector undertaking tabled in parliament on Thursday, CAG said the ALHs produced by HAL were overweight and their yet-to-be-certified indigenous engine Shakti was weak.

The multi-role, multi-mission ALHs meant for reconnaissance, observation, aerial attacks and transporting troops and material are supposed to replace the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters being used in the Army Aviation Corps.
The project began in 1984, but after more than two decades the technical requirements finalised by the army and air force in 1979 have still not been achieved. As a result, 74 ALHs are flying in the armed forces with concessions.

The three-year delay in certification of the Shakti engine has deferred the delivery of 20 ALHs, while weapons system integration is still to be developed even after a decade.

The CAG report says throughout their development and production ALHs have been dogged by quality issues, such as de-lamination of tail rotor and main rotor blades, frequent failure of the integrated dynamic system and poor performance of engine.

One of the four ALH Dhruvs preparing for the air force’s first night firepower demonstration in Pokhran on February 28, 2010, had to make an emergency landing during rehearsal after its engine lost power. The chopper is powered by two TM 333 2B2 engines.

Excess weight, problems in integrated architecture display and anti-resonance vibration isolation systems and non-extension of collaboration agreement are some of the other issues highlighted by CAG.

It recommends series production of the helicopter after prototype approval and certification by the user, modifications in design timeline and international certification.

After CAG pulled up HAL last year saying gaps in ALHs, which have a contract value of Rs1,747 crore, might impact the operational preparedness of the army, a more powerful Shakti engine replaced the earlier version. The replacement was effected after the first engine was tried for five years. But sources confirmed even the new version has not been able to deliver.

Former air chief FH Major said, “I’ve done one flight with the new Shakti engine on the chopper. The new engine is good. It’s more powerful, but it has not been certified. Since the trials are on with Shakti, we will have to wait till it is certified. The delay in induction will definitely affect modernisation of the services.”

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