Posted on 12/17/2004 11:23:57 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Dhruv to spread wings in Israel fleet this January
RAKESH SINHA
Posted online: Saturday, December 18, 2004 at 0157 hours IST
TEL AVIV, DECEMBER 17: Next month, New Delhi and Jerusalem will have one more reason to cheer their relatively new ties. The Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), will land in Israel in January for formal induction into the air fleet of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
Confirming this yesterday to visiting Indian journalists, officials of the Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) said they were also trying to install Dhruv avionics into the Indian Cheetah helicopter. Under its agreement with HAL, IAI will not only develop and supply advanced avionics for Dhruv ‘‘valued at tens of millions of dollars’’ but will be part of a joint venture company to lead global marketing and product support for the international version.
‘‘We are looking at an international market of 120 Dhruv helicopters over the next seven to 10 years,’’ an IAI official said. The ALH carries an avionics package developed by IAI’s Lahav division. The system utilises a comprehensive electronic warfare suite, day-and-night observation capability, a targeting system and a flexible armament-carrying system. The Glass Cockpit avionics package has been designed specially to suit the requirements of the Indian armed forces and international customers. IAI officials said the MiG-21 UM trainer, upgraded in cooperation with HAL, will also be sold to a third country. The Barak missile, already deployed on Indian Navy ships, will have a new variant soon. ‘‘We are working to extend the range of the Barak,’’ they said.
IAI declined to divulge the details on the exact status of the Phalcon early warning systems India is purchasing, or on the Green Pine radar, part of the Arrow anti-tactical ballistic missile system.
Developed by IAI’s Elta subsidiary, the phased array radar is transportable and can detect dozens of incoming missiles under all weather conditions. Indian journalists were also briefed on the Homeland Defense system, the Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT) gun-launched weapon system (a precision guided munition, it miniaturizes the Nimrod missile) and the heliborne LAHAT. Journalists were also taken to IAI’s Malat division and shown unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the new Heron/Eagle long endurance UAV.
Pictures of Advanced Light Helicopter:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/alh.htm
One interesting aspect of this is that the Palistinians have always said part of their animus against the US was because Israel used our miliary equipment like the Apache helo against them.
I wonder if this arguement will now be advanced against India.
Not necessarily as the ALH is a utility copter,much like the UH-1 Huey(though the Israelis could easily modify it with rockets & missiles).The Dhruv variant with French engines & Israeli avionics is rated as the most advanced in the light chopper category & may win quiet a few buyers.
Hmmm, 120 over a 10 year period doesn't seem an impressive figure at all. One would guess 120 is close to the number of losses in training mishaps and other accidents. Unless of course the sale of 120 is to a country with very small number of armed forces such as San Marino ;-)
Aviation Ping?
U also have to bear in mind that India is not exactly a big player in the military aviation export business & is only starting out-so the infrastructure is a bit limited .120 seems reasonable given it's current capabilities.Moreover ,you have to remember that the Indian armed forces will also order close to a 100 in that period & India routinely leases/donates hardware to Sri Lanka,Nepal,Tajikistan,Mauritius etc
Umm,just because 2 machines look similar,it doesn't mean they are clones.Take a look at Japan's F-2 fighter & compare it with the F-16.
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