Foreign components in India's ALH (Dhruv)

[Titanium]

'Homemade' chopper 90 per cent imported, reveals CAG

The myth surrounding the much-hyped advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, touted as an indigenously-built showpiece, has been laid to rest. ( Not by the networriors )The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that 90 per cent of material used in it was imported. The Rs 2,103-crore project should have been at least 50 per cent indigenous.

What's more, the 74 helicopters supplied to the armed forces fall short of expectations. Planned as a replacement for the Cheetah/Chetak fleet of the army and air force, the 5.5-tonne ALH has been found unsuitable due to its excess weight and underpowered engines.

Plans to equip it with the more powerful Shakti engines are behind schedule. The CAG said the engine was yet to be certified.

The armed forces had frozen their technical requirements more than three decades ago.

Limited series production kicked off in 2001. But non-freezing of the ALH design by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), according to the auditor, led to 363 modifications.

The HAL has orders for 159 ALHs from the army and air force. The navy, which has six of the helicopters, has found its anti-submarine warfare capabilities to be inadequate and is looking for a replacement.

"In the absence of a clear understanding between the navy and the company (HAL), the Rs 138 crore spent on the project has not resulted in any benefit to the customer," the CAG report, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, said.

 

[Titanium]

The new ALH availability is pathetic between 20-40%.

 

[somebozo]

I know, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its when people get delusional, like this last post from Dark Angel, is what makes me laugh.

Or it is when the Indian label their product "indigineous" every where and defy all rules of common sense.

Indigenious nukes, indigenious fuel cycle, indigenious jets, indigenious radar and so forth..one can only laugh if the whole of worlds industrial might has been sucessfully reproduced in India.

"Under the Wet Lease, Turkey will use the Dhruvs for five years and later purchase the choppers outright. Though it is not an outright sale at the moment, the contract has a clause that provides Turkey the option of buying the helicopters outright after the lease period," officials said.

All in all Dhurv is a good cost effective plattform with western quality. Pakistan should look forward to accquire some for civilian purpose if it comes really cheap.

5.5-tonne ALH has been found unsuitable due to its excess weight and underpowered engines.

 

[Tshering22]

'Homemade' chopper 90 per cent imported, reveals CAG

The myth surrounding the much-hyped advanced light helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, touted as an indigenously-built showpiece, has been laid to rest. ( Not by the networriors )The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that 90 per cent of material used in it was imported. The Rs 2,103-crore project should have been at least 50 per cent indigenous.

What's more, the 74 helicopters supplied to the armed forces fall short of expectations. Planned as a replacement for the Cheetah/Chetak fleet of the army and air force, the 5.5-tonne ALH has been found unsuitable due to its excess weight and underpowered engines.

Plans to equip it with the more powerful Shakti engines are behind schedule. The CAG said the engine was yet to be certified.

The armed forces had frozen their technical requirements more than three decades ago.

Limited series production kicked off in 2001. But non-freezing of the ALH design by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), according to the auditor, led to 363 modifications.

The HAL has orders for 159 ALHs from the army and air force. The navy, which has six of the helicopters, has found its anti-submarine warfare capabilities to be inadequate and is looking for a replacement.

"In the absence of a clear understanding between the navy and the company (HAL), the Rs 138 crore spent on the project has not resulted in any benefit to the customer," the CAG report, tabled in Parliament on Thursday, said.

They still get it from Indian companies under an Indian name isn't it? Never seen people going to EADS or Boeing to get Dhruvs. . Why're you so worried? The point it it functions fine.

I don't see what's the criticism so much for it. Our aerobatic team uses it. Do you think that if it were that hopeless and unsafe, an aerobatic team would acquire them?

CAG can sometimes over-exaggerate to keep all things in line.

 

[Titanium]

3.7.4 Quality Issues
Through out the development and supply of ALH large number of quality issues like Tail Rotor blade (TRB) de-lamination, Main Rotor blade (MRB) de-lamination, frequent failure of Integrated Dynamic System (IDS), poor performance of TM 333 2B2 Engine and failure of Line replaceable Units (LRUs) were encountered and the ALH had been withdrawn for repair/modifications. For its delay in addressing the TRB issues the
Company had to forego expected revenue of Rs. 16.32 crore on the lease of two helicopters to Israel and the Government of Karnataka which were not used. The Company had so far (December 2009) spent Rs. 44.08 crore to address these quality problems

 

[Titanium]

They still get it from Indian companies under an Indian name isn't it? Never seen people going to EADS or Boeing to get Dhruvs. . Why're you so worried? The point it it functions fine.

I don't see what's the criticism so much for it. Our aerobatic team uses it. Do you think that if it were that hopeless and unsafe, an aerobatic team would acquire them?

CAG can sometimes over-exaggerate to keep all things in line.

Its unfortunate that ecuador lost ALH knowing the design deficiency, but chile did the smart thing.

one ALH delivered to Ecuador Airforce (FAE) in March 2009 crashed in October 2009. While the domestic customer’s (IAF) reaction to the design deficiency was serious and questioned the Company’s capabilities, reaction of FAE was awaited (December 2009). The very
limitation of control saturation of ALH led to non-receipt (July 2007) of a potential export order from Chile though Rs. 10 crore was spent for demonstration and certification of ALH at Chile.

 

[Materialistic]

•Rocket launchers from Belgium

•Rockets, guns and engines from France

•Brake systems from Italy

•Fuel tanks and gearboxes from the UK

•Self-protection equipment from a Swedish company

•And German assistance in design development.

So our neighbors just wrote on it Made In India!!!

I just love the Dhruvs the best part is the lovely plant they are manufactured in at HAL banglore which is in india so unlike some countries which have to depend on others India is exporting helis wooooooooow

Some people are exporting Tanks, APC, Jet fighters and many more !!!

 

[Titanium]

So our neighbors just wrote on it Made In India!!!



Some people are exporting Tanks, APC, Jet fighters and many more !!!

You just have to wonder, if 90% of the ALH is imported components, what exactly is the 10%??

Rivets and Cheap labour???

 

[lcloo]

You have to give credit to Indian for making their first helicopters, there is nothing wrong with out-sourcing if you don't have problem with subsequent supplies/services. The main point is that they have gone one step forward towards future helicopter manufacturing.

China face many problem trying to manufacture her own home grown choppers. India has done well, regradless of foreign parts or not.

 

[merajahmed]

You just have to wonder, if 90% of the ALH is imported components, what exactly is the 10%??

Rivets and Cheap labour???

We have design and develop the chopper and yes it has many foreign part which we can get easily. If it is so easy like assembling than I think your nation too can make chopper like dhruv or even better.

 

[Titanium]

We have design and develop the chopper and yes it has many foreign part which we can get easily. If it is so easy like assembling than I think your nation too can make chopper like dhruv or even better.

DEsigned by MBB, West Germany, now claimed credit by HAL

 

[Titanium]

Small clarification, what does it mean here

CAG points out that 74 helicopters supplied to defence customers “are flying with concessions”

DO THEY FLY AT ALL ???

 

[Titanium]

Problems with Anti Resonance vibration Isolation System
The Anti Resonance vibration Isolation System (ARIS) developed in-house did not meet
the defence customer’s desired level of vibration control. The Company tried (2003 to
2007) to address this problem through a secondary device (cost Rs. 42.86 crore), but
failed to address the defence customer’s requirement. Subsequently, (May-June 2009),
the Company placed two development and supply orders for Second Generation Active
Vibration Control System (AVCS) and Vibration Monitoring System (VMS) at a cost of
Rs. 65.07 crore which were still under development and validation stage (December
2009).
The Management stated (December 2009) that since the contract with collaborator
Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm (MBB) - West Germany, ended at a point of time which
was the very beginning of ARIS integration and testing,the Company re-developed the
ARIS which fulfilled the basic vibratory requirements and during the process mastered
the technology involved in vibration control.
-

 

[Titanium]

and the list continues..........

Now coming to the party are ITALIANS.

But now it emerges that the Dhruv is struggling with a serious problem. The army, which was to be supplied 20 Dhruvs last year, refused to accept any until HAL fixed a problem that was restricting the Dhruv’s cruising speed to 250 kilometers per hour, significantly short of the 270 kmph that HAL specifications promise. Unable to find a cure, HAL has brought in a consultant: Italian aerospace propulsion major, Avio.

even after paying French engine-maker, Turbomeca, Rs 1,000 crore to design the Shakti engine —- a superb performer at high altitudes —- the Dhruv’s Integrated Dynamic System, or IDS, which transfers power from the Shakti engines to the helicopter rotors, is not performing optimally. That, say HAL engineers, has reduced speed, high-altitude capability, and the life of the IDS.

The Italian consultants will now scrutinise the Dhruv’s IDS to diagnose the problem. Avio will start by building a single HAL-designed IDS in Avio’s facilities in Italy, using their own materials and tools. They will then test-run this for 400-500 hours; if it works perfectly, it would be evident that the flaw lies in HAL’s manufacturing, rather than the IDS design. On the other hand, if the Avio-built IDS performs poorly during the test run, there is clearly a design problem. Avio will then redesign the IDS.

India’s army and air force — strapped for helicopters — have no choice but to accept and fly Dhruvs, even though they are performing below par and metal keeps chipping off inside the IDS.

Broadsword: 'Indian' Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter gets Italian makeover

 

[roach]

^^Cowards fight under a white flag, or no flag at all.