New Delhi: Army`s aerial firepower
capabilities will get a boost as it is soon going to induct
the attack version of indigenously-built Advanced Light
Helicopter (ALH) `Rudra`.
The `Rudra` is the first weaponised chopper built in the
country and will be inducted into the Army Aviation Corps in
the current financial year, army officials said here.
Armed with an array of guns, rocket pods, air-to-air and
anti-tank guided missiles, the fleet of the weaponised
helicopters, the "heavily-loaded" ALH, has been approved for
induction as part of modernisation and capability development
efforts by the government, they said.
Integration of the weaponised aerial platform into the
army will provide the field commanders the ability to apply
decisive combat power at critical times anywhere in the battle
field, they said.
Rudra is an armed variant of the ALH Dhruva chopper
and "necessary changes have been made in the airframe of the
chopper to give it agility and speed to make it a suitable
support weapon for the ground troops".
The chopper has been named `Rudra`, one of the names of
Lord Shiva who is worshipped as the destroyer of enemies, to
signify the helicopter`s firepower and capabilities. .
The HAL is also in the process of developing a Light
Combat Helicopter (LCH) which will be inducted in both the
Army and the Indian Air Force.
The 5.5 tonne class twin engine chopper has a number of
advanced features such as Automatic Flight Control System,
Integrated Dynamic System, Full Authority Digital Electronic
Control can cruise at speeds of 250 km per hour.
PTI
