The debacle with Ecuador has long haunted the Indian-made Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) ‘Dhruv,’ but its MK III variant could redeem its reputation. An Argentinian team has been in India for the trials of the MK III and MK IV variants of the helicopter.
Sources tell the EurAsian Times a team of Argentinian Army was at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Bangalore and flew both ALH MKIII and MK IV.
“It was not a customer demonstration but a trial by the Argentinian pilots. The team was very satisfied by the performance of the helicopters,” sources added. Argentina is looking at ordering 20 of these units.
The ALH MK III has many improvements over the first ALH iteration, which was India’s maiden export to Latin America. Since the new impetus on defense exports, the Indian foreign service and defense attaches have been burning midnight oil to find buyers for Indian-made aircraft – both rotary wing and fixed wing.
After several crashes, Ecuador grounded its fleet of Indian-made helicopters and put the choppers up for sale. The country also unilaterally canceled its order for more ALHs from India. India, in turn, took the Ecuadorian government to court over the matter.
Over 300 units of ALH are currently deployed with the Indian Armed Forces. The major change in the ALH MK III is that it is powered by a Shakti engine, developed under a joint venture between HAL and French engine makers Safran. With its glass cockpit, it has advanced maritime patrol radar, electro-optical payload, and a Night Vision device.
15/09/2023 Ritu Sharma/EurAsian Times
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