New Delhi. Military helicopters are specifically built or converted for use by military forces. The most common use of military helicopters is transportation of troops/ stores as utility or cargo helicopters).
However these can also be modified or converted to perform other combat related tasks or even armed with weapons for supporting ground troops. Specialised military helicopters like the attack, surveillance and observation and anti submarine warfare are required for conduct of specific tasks/missions.
Military helicopters are an integral part of the land, sea and air operations of modern armies including their ever increasing employment in sub conventional conflicts (counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations) the world over. A typical military helicopter force should have all class of helicopters ranging from light observation to utility/lift (light, medium and heavy) including attack/armed helicopters to cater for the operational requirements of their respective armed forces.
Military Helicopters
The operational diversities of the Indian Armed Forces coupled with extremity and variety of terrain (from sea level to high altitude) underline the need for state of the art, modern technology helicopters capable of operating both by day and night in a complex battlefield environment of future.
The weakest Link in the Indian Military inventory is the lack of specialized helicopters for attack and anti submarine warfare for the Army/ IAF and Navy respectively. Attack helicopters have so far been with IAF but from now, newer assets should go to the Army which is strengtheing its Army Aviation Corps.
As per reports, the Indian armed forces are looking to induct as many as 900 to 1000 helicopters in the coming decade ranging from attack and high altitude reconnaissance to medium lift and VVIP variants (presently under the MOD scanner), with some of these projects in the final stages of the acquisition process.
Presently the Indian military holds in its kitty approximately 600 helicopters of various types and class including specialized ones, but sadly, the majority of these have far exceeded their life span and are either obsolete or nearing obsolescence. Their total numbers in any case are still scanty, much lower than even what our western neighbour has.
The light observation helicopters (Chetak and Cheetah) used by the Army, Navy and Air Force are vintage and need urgent and immediate replacement.
The trials for their replacement (Army & Air Force) were completed a year back but the MOD is yet to take a decision on this project. (Reports indicate that this case also seems to have been put in the cold storage by both the MOD and Army due to reasons beyond comprehension, as no wrong doing in the trial process was detected even by the Oversight Committee appointed earlier by the MOD to look at irregularities if any).
In fray are the French Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec and the Russian Kamov Ka 226T.
The Navy is also looking to replace its currents fleet of Chetak/ modified Chetak-MATCH (Mid-Air Torpedo Carrying Helicopter) with a twin engine, 4.5 Ton helicopter capable of operating from warship decks, as well as being armed wirockets/guns and light weight torpedoes.
Another requirement of multirole helicopters for the Navy to replace the vintage Sea Kings is still to be finalised despite the fact that the process to acquire them was initiated 6-7 years ago. US Sikorsky S-70 and European NH-90 had been shortlisted in the technical trials quite a while back but the opening of commercial bids has inexplacably been postponed again and again.
In the light utility category, the HAL manufactured ALH has already entered service with the Army, Air force and Coast Guard.
The Navy has not found it suitable for ship-deck operations and is looking at alternatives in the world market. The ALH has also been test evaluated for high altitude operations with the fitment of a more powerful engine ‘Shakti’ being produced jointly by HAL and French Turbomeca and is in the process of being inducted into the forces.
This is a major achievement and will give a boost to helicopter operations in high altitude areas especially Siachen. The induction of the armed version of the ALH (designated Rudra) is likely to commence into the Army this year. The official handing over ceremony of the Rudra by the HAL to the Army took place during the Aero India Show on February 18.
In the medium lift category the Indian Air Force (IAF) holds the MI 8 and the MI 17 Russian helicopters. While the MI 8 requires immediate replacement, the majority of the existing MI-17 fleet has been upgraded/ refurbished in respect of avionics and night capability. In addition 80-plus MI-17 V5 helicopters have been/ are being acquired from Russia, with the acquisition process already in motion. These helicopters are upgraded versions, with glass cockpit, night capability and armament package and should boost the armed forces capability.
In the heavy lift category there is nothing worthwhile held with the Indian Military, barring a few Russian MI 26 helicopters whose high altitude capability is poor.
In the recently concluded trials the American Chinook CH 47 has scored over the Russian MI-26. Commercial negotiations are now on between the IAF/ MOD and Boeing for 15 Chinook CH 47F, the latest version that is being supplied to the US army. Powered by two Honeywell engines, it can carry more than 10,000 kg of load and has a mission radius of 200 nm (370 km). The Chinook has extensively been used in Iraq and Afghanistan by the US and NATO forces.
The process for acquisition of 12 Augusta Westland 101 Merlin for VVIP duties by the Air Force has been presently put on hold by the MOD due to the alleged kickback scandal involving the company and its future at present seems uncertain. Three of these helicopters have been delivered so far.
As for the attack helicopters, the MI 25/MI 35s with IAF are vintage and need replacement on priority. IAF has already selected the Apache Longbow AH 64D (Block III) helicopters and commercial negotiations between the IAF/ MOD and Boeing are in progress now to conclude the deal for 22 machines as per the tender.
Future Developments
The new generation helicopter platforms are expected to feature the latest advances in aeronautics giving military helicopters improved flight performance especially in relation to speed.
Also the world over today, militaries are seriously looking at the multirole concept, due to the changing nature of conflicts (sub conventional) and financial constraints.
India’s ALH is a classic example of a multirole helicopter with its utility and armed versions available to the Indian armed forces. In terms of data acquisition, day/night observation and detection capabilities will increase and become more diversified specially in respect to information sharing and cooperation with other aircraft, UAVs and even AWACS.
Target engagement capabilities with regard to weapon range and precision is likely to remain the focus of future development, understandably strengthened by technological achievements on all fronts: Reach, Impact, Precison and Speed (RIPS).
With sub conventional operations gaining ascendency around the world, helicopter survivability will assume greater significance. Advances in stealth, such as reductions in radar, and acoustic signatures offer major results in this area, as does the development of early detection/jamming countermeasure capabilities. The modification of the Black Hawk by Sikorsky, and possibly Lockheed Martin, to reduce its noise and signature during US Operation Neptune Spear to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan’s Abbotabad garrison city in 2011 is an example of things to come.
The development of innovative concepts, along the lines of V-22 Osprey (tilt rotor technology), could generate fresh momentum in the utility/logistics domain. The V-22 is already deployed in Afghanistan and was instrumental in the rescue of a downed US pilot in Libya last year. Such an aircraft would be ideal for deployment in India’s North Eastern region where the infrastructure is woefully inadequate.
Another area of future development is helicopter UAVs.
Lockheed Martin’s K-MAX helicopter UAV is currently deployed in Afghanistan for logistic resupply and is proving to be quite a hit. It has been able to fly in adverse weather conditions when manned helicopters could not fly. Northrop Grumman is offering its MQ-8 Fire Scout to the Indian Navy for shipborne operations, apparently after the US Government has given its clearance in this regard.
It is not known if this offer has been accepted, and if so, at what stage it is.
HAL Ventures
The most significant development in the HAL venture is the light combat Helicopter (LCH), a state of art attack helicopter with capability to operate at high altitudes.
The LCH uses the technology of the existing ALH and its configurations except that the fuselage is suitably modified and streamlined for tandem seating required for a modern day attack helicopter, and uses lightweight composires in its body to reduce weight and to withstand the vagaries of high altitude operations.
An indigenous attack helicopter is a step in the right direction as it can be tailored to suit the terrain and climatic conditions of our area of operations. For LCH, the IAF asked for a high ceiling, and from the design stage itself, this helicopter is being developed accordingly.
IAF is buying some 60 of these machines. The LCH has already given public displays of flights as also of firing during the recent exercises. This helicopter is likely to be inducted by the Army also.
A number of development flights of the LCH have taken place since its maiden flight on 29 Mar 2010, and it is expected to enter service by 2014.
HAL is also looking at the development and manufacture of a three ton class light utility helicopter (LUH) as well as a 10-12 Ton class of Multi Role Helicopter (MRH) for the requirement of armed forces in a joint venture with a foreign vendor.
While the LUH project is progressing slowly, no headway has been made in the MRH project.
The Army is keen to acquire this class of helicopters and has suitably called it the Tactical Battlefield Support Helicopter (TBSH). This will enhance its lift capability in the Tactical Battle Area as well as utilization for special operations. HAL will have to keep in mind the developing future helicopter technologies and incorporate them, through joint ventures if necessary.
Indian armed forces need the best of the machines, with futuristic technologies. We are late with design and manufacturing, but then, let’s have the advantage of the late start.
The author is a former head of the Army Aviation Corps and an expert on helicopter and artillery operations.
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