Aerospace Diary

AIN NEWS LIVE FROM AEROINDIA  »  2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Hindustran Aeronautics's weaponized Rudra advanced light helicopter has received initial operational clearance. February 4, 2013, 12:13 PM Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. ( HAL ) is expected to unveil an armed variant of its Rudra advanced light helicopter ( ALH ) at the Aero India show this week. The helicopter will be in the flying display along with the  HAL  Light Combat Helicopter. Meanwhile, scale models of the Light Utility Helicopter, Hawk, Light Combat Aircraft ( LCA ) and Su-30 aircraft in which the Indian group is involved on partnership terms will be on display at the company’s stand (Hall E, Stand E2.6). “For the first time, we will present to the world glimpses of prospective multirole fighter ( PMF ), also known as Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft ( FGFA ), under co-development with the Russians,” said  R.K.  Tyagi, chairman of...

News analysis Defence Helicopter By Neelam Mathews, New Delhi Bids for India’s 197-aircraft Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) requirement may be in jeopardy, as deferrals to the project have resulted in a cost increase of 45% since 2007, when proposals were first evaluated. The helicopters, which would have cost less than $700 million back then, are now valued at over $1 billion. If delayed by another year, this could go up by 4-5%. Rebidding and delaying the finalisation of contracts is not uncommon in India, where bureaucratic and procedural delays are the norm. This has been readily apparent in the RSH project for the Indian Army and air force, which was first issued in 2003 and then again in 2008. Now on its second iteration, RSH flight  rials were completed in 2010 by the two finalists – Russian Helicopters’ Kamov Ka-226T, powered by the Turbomeca Arrius 2G1, and the Eurocopt...