choppers in indian Defence

The Indian Army is currently depending on the Indian Air Force to aid them with attack helicopters but this will no longer be the case in the future as attack choppers will be added to aid their powerful strike corps.

A defence analyst said that after the Rajasthan desert war game concluded, they were able to conceptualize that helicopters will help their strike corps by quickly adding armed soldiers to the field and also by supplying them with their heavy weaponry. The tactical lift and attack capabilities of attack choppers will also be providing them with troops support among others according to a senior officer that is based in Ambala.

An anonymous officer explained that their strike corps was trained for fast mobilization and for their definite applications with their mechanized armoured carriers and battle tanks as their essential offensive utility for their operations. But in the future, having air assets will give them a better edge in combat, not only for the army itself but also for the air force. During their exercise, it’s the first time that they also used air assets for combat.

Army’s aviation wing plans will be implemented for a period of 15 years that started in 2007 and will end in 2022. Their 3 strike corps will be strengthened with their aviation brigade that will be comprised of 2 squadrons, each having twelve attack choppers. Aside from that, they will also have two squadrons each with 15 helicopters for tactical battle, scouting, and also for evacuation of casualty soldiers. Apart from that, the army is also going to provide each of their 10 defensive corps with aviation brigades essentially for the increase of their tactical lift capability and also for some elements of offense.

As for the moment, the army is relying for their transformational concept testing on the Mi-25 & Mi-35 attack choppers and with their Mi-17 medium lift helicopters. The official for defence ministry answered the question about the plans for aviation of their army troops and said that the Indian Air Force would still be playing a strategic role when their army would be acquiring their own air assets. But the army wants to have the full control and command with their tactical operations using these air assets so they could meet the needs of rapid deployment and for air support during combat.

The army had already looked over the 114 light combat helicopters that had been developed locally and had their first flight back in March 2010. They are said to buy 64 of these choppers. Also the army is set to buy 133 light utility choppers worth $1.9 billion while the Indian Air Force will buy 64 for $960 million which is part of their deal that both the Kamov Ka-226 of Russia and AS550-C3 Fennec of Eurocopter are racing for. These choppers would be replacing the vintage Chetak and Cheetah choppers of the 70’s that had been used extensively for many years.