Chopper shortage rattles Indian Navy during joint exercise with British

[RPK]

The shortage of helicopters is hitting the Indian Navy hard as it continues to rely on an old, ageing fleet that needs urgent replacement to meet its operational requirements.
The Navy has at least 50 warships that are capable of operating helicopters, but it is struggling to get one helicopter per ship.
The Navy has given an insight into how it is placed during its ongoing exercise with the Royal Navy off the Goa coast. The Royal Navy's HMS Westminster - a type-23 frigate known for its advanced anti-submarine capability - is taking part in the exercise Konkan. The frigate is equipped with Merlin helicopters - the maritime version of triple-engine AgustaWestland EH-101 that is used extensively by the Royal Navy.


he Indian Navy has pitched a Delhi class destroyer, which is a formidable platform, but it carries only one helicopter although it is capable of operating two. The only helicopter on the destroyer is Chetak, which has a limited role in search, rescue and communication. It cannot carry out advanced anti-submarine or anti-surface operation.
The destroyer ought to be equipped with two Sea Kings - anti-submarine helicopters that can carry troops. The Indian Navy is left with as many as 18 Sea King 42-Bs and less than a dozen Kamov-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopters as of now. The Sea King fleet is ageing and the Kamovs are awaiting a mid-life upgrade.
At the moment, the availability of anti-submarine warfare is low. The Navy is planning to buy 17 multi-role helicopters and another 123 medium helicopters, but both acquisition projects are yet to see the light of the day.
The force desperately needs new helicopters, especially for operations in a dense submarine environment. Among the light helicopters that the Indian Navy owns, only 30 Chetaks are in service. The limited capability of these helicopters does not qualify them for operational roles. In fact, it's not preferable to use the single-engine Chetak for maritime operations.
The Navy is awaiting headway in acquisitions which need to be completed soon to end the shortage of helicopters. The Ministry of Defence also hopes that the process will move forward.


Read more: Chopper shortage rattles Indian Navy during joint exercise with British fleet | Mail Online

 

[acetophenol]

Ghost of N-ALH must be laughing now.

 

[senkakudefender]

Replace this chu^&*a Govt. Rest will fall in place. NDA.

 

[HIMALYA]

Ghost of N-ALH must be laughing now.

N-ALH doesn't had foldable blades.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Ghost of N-ALH must be laughing now.

The N-ALH still wouldn't be able to compete with the MERLINS used by the RN- not by a long shot.



What the IN desperately needs is the Sea King's replacement ie the S-70B for which the MoD is sat idle and won't likely make a decision this year. This issue is going to drag on until first deliveries are made in 3-4 years time.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

N-ALH doesn't had foldable blades.

It does just not automatic I heard.

 

[acetophenol]

N-ALH doesn't had foldable blades.

It does have foldable blades,but the hingeless design prevented'em from having an automatic folding system.

 

[sancho]

N-ALH doesn't had foldable blades.

It does:

But reportedly not automatic one, which IN required and the performance of the naval version back then (MK1 version), was not suitable for either, but with the latest versions that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

 

[confound thinker]

It does:

But reportedly not automatic one, which IN required and the performance of the naval version back then (MK1 version), was not suitable for either, but with the latest versions that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

What I feel suspicious about navy is that in the RFI floated for 56 4.5 t class N-LUH choppers,this requirement of automatic foldable wings is diluted to something like manually foldable by not more than two or three person in 10 minutes or so.

I agree that N-ALH is slighly heavier of 5.5 t class but it is in fact this requirement that has paralyses the N-ALH.
The navy could have modified their requirement or they could have asked HAL for a weight reduction then this 1 billion deal would have been in our hands and it would have been a mojor boost to the ALH program

 

[faithfulguy]

Maybe India need to change its operational requirement to suite the hardware it owns.

 

[longlong]

Maybe India need to change its operational requirement to suite the hardware it owns.

Money shortage rattled most of us to be billionaire.

 

[Abingdonboy]

It does:

But reportedly not automatic one, which IN required and the performance of the naval version back then (MK1 version), was not suitable for either, but with the latest versions that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

Ah @sancho, good to see you back sir!!



@thread, yes the N-ALH should have enjoyed more success but let's be honest it is in no way up to the levels of the S-70B which is what the IN is desperately after to replace their Sea Kings. The S-70B and N-ALH are simply in different classes. The N-ALH really only has as role as a N-LUH for the IN but then the IN wants one in the 4.5 ton class and this is likely because many of the smaller ships the N-LUH will operate off are unable to support a 5.5 machine. Hopefully in the future the IN takes a more long-term vision and ensures their ships are able to offer specifications that match indigenous hardware.



The Bell 429 (the apparent front-runner in the IN's N-ALH procurement) is a nice bird though:

 

[Nishan_101]

So Navy can buy as much as they want from US and EU....

 

[confound thinker]

Ah @sancho, good to see you back sir!!



@thread, yes the N-ALH should have enjoyed more success but let's be honest it is in no way up to the levels of the S-70B which is what the IN is desperately after to replace their Sea Kings. The S-70B and N-ALH are simply in different classes. The N-ALH really only has as role as a N-LUH for the IN but then the IN wants one in the 4.5 ton class and this is likely because many of the smaller ships the N-LUH will operate off are unable to support a 5.5 machine. Hopefully in the future the IN takes a more long-term vision and ensures their ships are able to offer specifications that match indigenous hardware.



The Bell 429 (the apparent front-runner in the IN's N-ALH procurement) is a nice bird though:

Is it not possible to make a 4.5 t MTOW version of the N-ALH considering the size of the contract at stake (probably more than 1 billion for 56 helos or upward if we consider the life cycle costs)

 

[confound thinker]

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