Aerospace Diary

Paris Air Show  »  2013 by  Neelam Mathews and David Donald Here at the Paris Air Show, Swiss company Ruag has this upgraded Super Puma helicopter on display. Improvements include TH06 avionics. (Photo: Mark Wagner) June 18, 2013, 2:30 PM Making its Paris debut in the static display is a Swiss air force Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma that has undergone the TH 06 ISR upgrade by Ruag Aviation (Chalet A118, Static R). The Swiss company has designed and installed a major avionics overhaul that allows the Super Puma fleet to continue to provide service for many years to come. Switzerland originally purchased 15 AS332M 1 Super Pumas, which are designated TH 89 in Swiss air force service. The air arm later went back to Eurocopter for 11 AS532UL / TH 98 Cougars. In 2006 the air force initiated a program to bring...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  FEBRUARY 15, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS HAL’s light combat helicopter (LCH) was on display at the Aero India show. (Photo: Vladimir Karnozov) February 15, 2013, 12:18 PM Indian light helicopter requirements remain subject to a   bureaucratic procurement process. The program to acquire 197 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters ( RSH ) is close to being scrapped, but Hindustan Aeronautics ( HAL ) has inked a contract for 187 light utility helicopters ( LUH ).  HAL  is also proposing the LUH  for a new Indian Navy requirement. Meanwhile,  HAL  continues to develop its light combat helicopter ( LCH ), which  first flew in March 2010 . The   RSH   program was supposed to replace 230 aging Chetaks (Aerospatiale   SA316 Alouette   III ) and Cheetahs ( SE316B   Alouette   II ). The single-engine Eurocopter AS550C3   and twin-engine Ka...

  AIN Defense Perspective  » August 31, 2012 by  Neelam Mathews The Eurocopter AS550C3 Fennec is a contender for the light utility helicopters (Photo: Eurocopter) August 31, 2012, 9:45 AM India may abandon plans to procure 197 light utility helicopter (LUHs) from abroad for the Indian air force (64) and army (133). Such a decision would favor government-owned defense manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics ( HAL ), which is developing its own LUH design based on the Advanced Light Helicopter ( ALH ). The government was already planning to order an additional 187 light utility helicopters to be produced under license by HAL . It is not clear what the time frame for delivery would be, as HAL would need to expand its current production facility, requiring government approval. The request for proposal for the LUHs was first released in 2008, then withdrawn after a protest from Bell H...

AIN Defense Perspective » August 17, 2012 by  Neelam Mathews The Indian Navy wants to replace its aging HAL Chetaks, a license-built version of the French Alouette III. The Indian Navy has issued a request for proposal ( RFP ) for 56 light utility helicopters ( LUH ) to eight OEMs, including government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics ( HAL ). Submissions are due by January 7 next year, with the winner expected to enter service in 2016. The navy wants to replace its fleet of HAL Chetak helicopters, a license-built version of the Alouette III . Of the 85 Chetaks that the navy received up to 2002, approximately 60 remain in service. In addition, the coast guard operates 17. Submission periods are usually around three months, and the additional three months provided under this RFP are intended to give HAL time to prepare its concept and submit performance parameters that...