In what is being seen as an important milestone in addressing a long-awaited requirement of the armed forces, India and Russia inked a joint venture to manufacture 200 helicopters in India for the Indian Army (IA) and Indian Air Force (IAF).
This was done at the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Goa where India and Russia held their annual, bilateral summit.
The Kamov-226T, a twin-engine helicopter, born out of Russian engineering and French engine power, is the chosen platform.
The project, said to cost nearly US $1 billion will be the first major defence venture under government’s ‘Make in India’ programme. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and senior ministry officials were present.
INTER GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED LAST DECEMBER ::
Following up on an Inter Government Agreement on ‘Cooperation in the field of Helicopter Engineering’ signed in Moscow during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit last December, a firm ‘Indo-Russian Helicopters Private Limited’ will be created to execute the task.
The firm will witness the Russian government firm Rostec corporation have a 49.5 per cent stake and Defence Ministry’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have a 50.5 per cent stake.
“The manufacturing will take place either at HAL’s helicopter complex in Bengaluru or the upcoming facility near Bengaluru at a place called Tumkuru,” said an official. While about 40 helicopters will be procured ‘off the shelf’ from the original maker of the Kamov-226T i.e Russian Helicopters, the remaining will be made in India over a period of 8-10 years. “Apart from production, the plan also includes setting up repair and maintenance facilities to provide faster support to the armed forces,” said an official.
It isn’t unusual for the armed forces to red flag the poor maintenance support extended by their Russian suppliers.
REQUIREMENT OF 400 HELICOPTERS ::
Explaining the origin of the deal, Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), himself an accomplished helicopter pilot said, “Among the three defence services and the Coast Guard, there is a requirement of about 400 helicopters. That initial procurement of 400 choppers has now been broken up into two wherein we induct 200 Kamov-226Ts and 200 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) which the HAL is designing and building.”
Over the next decade, it is expected that the Kamov-226T and LUH will together replace the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters which are of French origin but were subsequently made in India by the HAL.
The Cheetah and Chetak are used not for combat role but logistics, evacuation and related tasks especially at high altitude locations. Interestingly, even though Indian armed forces operate hundreds of Russian helicopters like the Mi8, Mi17 1V, Mi17 V5, Kamov 28, Kamov 31, never have the Russians allowed their manufacturing in India.
“This is the first time that is taking place. We will have to see how this move pans out and what benefits accrue to us. We have had a long association with the French helicopters however this choice of the Kamov-226T represents to me a larger strategic choice India has made to balance our ties with Russia,” said Bahadur.
KAMOV-226T UNDERWENT TESTS ON INDIAN TERRAIN ::
Kamov-226T is not new to India. The Russian Helicopters portal mentions how the helicopter had ‘previously participated successfully in the Light Utility Helicopter tender announced by India’s Defence Ministry’.
Even when Russia had not certified the chopper till March 2015, it had already undergone tests ‘amid India’s mountainous terrain and hot climate’ which ‘enabled it to demonstrate its considerable advantages over the competition produced by western companies’.
With a maximum speed of 250 kmph, the Kamov-226T can fly up to an altitude of over 18000 feet with loads nearing 4 tonnes. Along with two pilots, it can take seven passengers. It is powered by two French Arrius 2G1 Turbomeca engines which the armed forces in India believes will ensure a much better performance.
Introduced as a ambulance helicopter, the Kamov-226T has two rotor blades on top of each other and rotating in opposite directions. While it is being inducted in the Russian Air Force in much smaller numbers, there is an effort to sell the chopper to Iran and Japan in medical roles. However, in terms of numbers, with at least 200, India is likely to emerge as the single largest operator of the Kamov-226T.
Source:- India Today
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