Armed forces to get 12 light utility helicopters
Source – Dinakar Peri
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has received the Letter of Intent from the Services for the manufacture of 12 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH), which have been designed and developed indigenously. At the same time, nine Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) have been manufactured against the sanction of 15 limited series production (LSP) variants and are in the process of being handed over to the Services.
In another development, the Army is in negotiations for acquiring 11 more Apache AH-64E attack helicopters from the U.S.
“Production work has begun. Two LUH are in an advanced stage of completion,” a HAL source confirmed to The Hindu.
In addition, the Request For Quotation (RFQ) for the larger order for LUH RFQ has also been issued, one source stated.
HAL is in the process of responding to the RFQ and expects to conclude the related issues in one or two years, the source stated. Last November, the Defence Acquisition Council approved the procurement of an initial lot of 12 LUH, six each for the Army and the Air Force.
Source – Dinakar Peri
