HAL completes production of 300th ALH-Dhruv

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has rolled out the 300th Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) from HAL Hangar.

The certificate for the rollout was handed over to Helicopter Complex CEO G V S Bhaskar by Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) additional director general (south zone) Y K Sharma.

HAL CMD R Madhavan said: “The evolution from ALH Mark-I to Mark-IV has been phenomenal and is a boost to the indigenous design and development of helicopters.”

Bhaskar said: “With over 280,000 flying hours, ALH has proven to be a multirole helicopter for any mission, any place, any time.”

The company is currently manufacturing 73 ALHs. Of these, 41 are for the Indian Army, 16 are for the Indian Navy, and 16 are for Indian Coast Guard.

Production has been completed on 38 ALHs so far, with the remainder scheduled to be completed by 2022.

The first flight of the prototype of the ALH Dhruv was carried out in August 1992.

In 2013, the Indian Navy commissioned the first squadron of ALH Dhruv during a ceremony held at Kochi, India.

HAL also carried out the ‘ground run’ of the first Limited Series Production (LSP) of Light Combat Helicopter-Limited Series Production (LCH-LSP).

The LCH was piloted by chief test pilot Gp Capt (Retd) Hari Krishnan Nair S, and Flight Operations, Rotary Wing senior flight test engineer Gp Capt (Retd) C G Narasimha Prasad.

In July last year, HAL delivered a Chetak multi-utility helicopter to the Indian Navy ahead of schedule.