60 UHM for Indian Navy
The Indian Navy has also been looking to replace its aging fleet Chetak helicopters with the latest Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH). In the year 2017, The Indian Navy came up with an RFI to procure 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH). These NUHs are to be used for multiple roles, including search and rescue, casualty evacuation and low-intensity maritime operations and torpedo attack.
Back in October 2021, Indian Navy and HAL has done and extensive review of NUH requirement. NAVY has asked for 60 NUH based on ALH as per Buy-Indian IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) route of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. The new NUH will be a variant of ALH and LUH modified for ship-based operation based on Indian Navy’s requirement.
On 16th March 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for acquisition of Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) equipment worth over ₹70,500 crore. The proposals constitute more than ₹56,000 crore for Indian Navy, which includes orders for BrahMos missiles with increased range, Shakti Electronic Warfare (EW) systems and Utility Helicopters-Maritime (UHM).
The UHM for which the AoN has been accorded is going to be ALH Dhruv Mark-III variant with some modifications required for deck-based operation. This has also put an end to the initial procurement of NUH by Indian Navy.
The AoN has been granted for 60 UHM for Indian Navy. Indian Coast guard will also acquire 9 ALH Dhruv Mark-III for maritime surveillance.
Recently, HAL has told that orders for UHM might come in next 2-3 years time frame. The DPSU is expecting an initial fund sanction for the design and development and subsequently, it will be followed by the procurement order.
ALH Design Challenges for UHM role
The major issue with ALH as UHM was its folding blades. Navy has specified the requirement of 3.5m folded blades right from the beginning. Even concession was given to HAL to achieve a 5.4 m folded width to begin with, instead of 3.5 m which they failed to achieve initially. The blade folding was taking more time and the size of the folded bladed was bigger than what was required. Navy wanted the folding of blades to be quick and easy like other Naval helicopters Chetak, Sea King or Kamov.
HAL solved the Folding blade issue
Back, in November 2020, HAL carried out demonstration of Tail Boom folding operation was carried on ALH Mk-III DWDM prototype. In combination with existing 2 blade folding, the achieved stowage dimension of ALH (13.5 m length, 3.5 m width & 4.2 m height) meets the Navy’s NUH specification. To achieve this lot of modifications were done to Naval ALH MK-III. Segmented blade folding and automatic tail boom fold was included. With these changes, ALH’s segmented blade folding takes less than 6 mins to fold which is well within the navy’s requirements. The same has been even demonstrated to Indian Navy.
ALH Dhruv demonstrates deck operational capabilities in April 2021
Another trial was conducted back in April 2021 to demonstrate the deck-operations capabilities that include landing on the deck, folding of blades and storing the helicopter inside the onboard hangar.
The ship-borne trials were conducted off Chennai coast in collaboration with the Indian Coast Guard. It also covered maintenance activities inside the hangar and on the deck and hot refueling with engines running on the deck. These trials have now proven the capabilities of ALH Dhruv. With the successful demonstration of these capabilities like blade folding, stowage, the helicopter is now ready to be fielded for operations. If you closely observe the blades of HAL Dhruv, only the side blades need to be folded which moves backwards. The blades at the front & back remains at their original position.
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