On the sidelines of Aero-India Gen Pande told a group of journalists the army would be inducting the LCHs for deployment in narrow valleys in high-altitude areas as the rotary wing of home-grown combat aircraft has better manoeuvrability for mountainous regions.

He said the army needs around 110 light utility helicopters (LUH) and 90 to 95 light combat helicopters (LCH) that will be built by state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

LUH will replace the army and the Indian Air Force’s ageing fleets of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. HAL expects the army and IAF to place combined orders for at least 187 light helicopters in the coming years. Currently, the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters are a critical lifeline for troops in high-altitude areas, including the Siachen glacier.

The army has already ordered six limited series production LUH and repeat orders will follow based on the performance of the first lot of helicopters, Pande said. “We need it to be equipped with some more capabilities. HAL is working on it,” the army chief said.

HAL has already been awarded a contract for 15 limited series production LCH – 10 for IAF and five for the army. The plane maker expects follow-on orders as the army and IAF have a combined projected requirement of 160 such helicopters. LCH has an indigenous content of 45% by value, which will progressively increase to more than 55% for the series production version.

The LCH is the right fit for the army’s requirements in the mountains, Pande said. He said integrating the locally developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Helina, with the LCH is a priority.

The 5.8-tonne twin-engine chopper is capable of destroying enemy tanks, bunkers, drones and other assets in high-altitude regions. The helicopter possesses modern stealth characteristics, robust armour protection and formidable night attack capability. It is capable of operating even in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield.

The army is also set to induct next year six Apache AH64E attack helicopters, he said. The Boeing-manufactured helicopters cost upwards of ₹4,100 crore. Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritise threats. The missiles equip the gunships with heavy anti-armour capabilities.

IMRH, which will also be manufactured at Tumakuru factory, is expected to compete with Russian Mi-17 choppers in both Indian and foreign markets. HAL says the platform could have a huge market as nearly 40 air forces across the world operate Mi-17 type helicopters. The Mi-17 is the mainstay of the IAF’s transport fleet.

The Army Aviation Corps – often described as the Indian Army’s mini air force and was a subject of cold war between the Indian Army and IAF – currently operates four squadrons of weaponised versions of Advanced Lightweight Helicopters besides the Cheetahs and Chetaks.

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Singh said, “I cannot rule out the possibility of a new positive indigenisation list (coming out soon), given India’s focus on self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector.”

The upcoming fifth ‘positive indigenisation list’ will be a pivotal development in India’s quest for self-reliance in defence and will also boost the country’s status as an exporter of military hardware. The first four lists, announced in August 2020, May 2021, April 2022 and October 2022, impose a phased import ban on weapons that are planned to be indigenised over the next five to six years. The fourth list was announced by Modi during the opening ceremony of DefExpo-2022 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat last October.

The lists cover a raft of weapons and systems, including artillery guns, missile destroyers, ship-borne cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, light transport aircraft, long-range land-attack cruise missiles, basic trainer aircraft, multi-barrel rocket launchers, a variety of helicopters, assault rifles, sniper rifles, mini-unmanned aerial vehicles, next-generation corvettes, and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems.

Military hardware sought to be developed locally also ranges from light tanks, naval utility helicopters and mounted artillery gun systems to medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles and loitering munitions. Import substitution of ammunition, which is a recurring requirement, has been given special emphasis in the previous lists.

The possibility of the new list comes at a time when India has sharpened its focus on getting a toehold in foreign markets, set a target of achieving defence exports worth $5 billion by 2025, and taken a raft of policy measures to boost the indigenous defence manufacturing sector.

Military hardware being exported by India includes missiles, the advanced light helicopter, offshore patrol vessels, personal protective gear, surveillance systems and a variety of radars. The hardware that holds export potential includes the light combat aircraft, Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, Akash surface-to-air missile system, tanks, sonars and radars. India currently exports military hardware to 84 countries, with the number likely to increase in the coming years, the officials said.

“A strong and self-reliant defence sector will play a pivotal role in helping India emerge as one of the top three world economies in the times to come. Achievements in the defence sector provide spin-off benefits to the Indian economy. The technologies developed in the field are equally useful for civilian purposes,” Singh said.

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Under this joint venture the Intellectual Property Right (IPR) will be retained by India for High Thrust Low bypass engine (110kn+).

In 2021, Rolls-Royce in India said it was interested in collaborating with India to co-develop and produce engines for India’s AMCA fifth-generation fighter aircraft project.

It has been reported in Financial Express Online that in 2017 both India and the UK had agreed to cooperate in the development of advanced defence projects and this also included the gas turbine engine and air defence missile systems. And, as reported in Financial Express Online, there is a collaborative project Defence Research and Development Organisation and the British engine maker Rolls Royce on jet engine technology.

According to reports Kishore Jayaraman, president of Rolls-Royce India and South Asia, has said that if a partnership is formed, the Indian government will hold the Intellectual Property (IP) rights for the engines.

According to company officials, Rolls-Royce feels it can be an effective partner for AMCA’s engine manufacturing in India. This area represents the future – to co-develop, co-manufacture, and co-create.  And it is consistent with India’s indigenous design and manufacturing drive and the Atmanirbhar way.

For the Rafale fighters, Rolls Royce has offered a Eurojet EJ200 version with 110-120KN thrust. The SAFRAN-DRDO joint venture is planned with complete ToT and is based on the M88 engine base type.

On the other hand the United States’ interest in the fighter engine programme has lately been rekindled. Due to American reluctance to share core or hot engine technology, the India-US Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) collaboration on jet engine technology was postponed in October 2019. Within the DTTI framework, a joint working group on jet engine technology was subsequently disbanded. However, in the first development phase of the AMCA project, a commercially available GE-414 engine will be purchased and installed.

There is no agreement yet in place between DRDO and RR, since the NGFA 110kn+ is not expected to begin development until 2030. Depending on the final cost of the engine project, a joint IP is also considered in addition to an Indian-only IP.

Approximately 250 GE-404 84KN engines are required to power the LCA Mk1/1A. India has ordered only half of the requirement from GE. The GE-414’s other two opponents are the Rolls Royce EJ 200 engine and the Safran M-88 – 4 engine.

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After releasing DRDO-India documents and procedures at Aero India2021 at Bengaluru, on 3 February, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said “These 225 agreements that were signed with industry show the industries’ trust in home grown technologies developed by DRDO.”

The policy revisions done is expected to facilitate the design, development, production and certification of next-generation air systems. The new airworthiness framework will empower the organisations and industries with liberal certification procedures.

DRDO participated in the ‘Bandhan’ ceremony at Aero India 2021 on 5 February 2021 to enhance cooperation and synergy between industry and Government organisations. Transfer of Technology (ToTs) documents were handed over to industry representatives.

The DRDO handed over Licensing Agreements for ToT (LAToT) for 14 DRDO developed technologies to 20 industries. The technologies transferred are from the area of electronics, laser technology, armaments, life sciences, materials science, combat vehicles, naval systems, aeronautics, sensors, etc. The product technologies transferred are Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR), Inertial Navigation System for Ship Application (INS-SA), Long Range Optical Target Locator (OTL 1500), Hand Held Through Wall Imaging Radar (HH-TWIR) and Commander TI (Thermal Imager) Sight for T-72 Tank are the sensor technologies transferred to various industries. NMRL-Fuel Cell based Air Independent Propulsion Technology for Naval Submarines named NMFCAIP is a unique capability developed by DRDO and now transferred to the industry. Multi Agent Robotic System (MARS) will be produced by Indian industry based on DRDO design. 

In his address, Raksha Mantri said Bandhan exemplifies the spirit of ‘public-private partnership’. He added that the fountain head of any capability emerges from its foundation and the foundation of our vision rests on three pillars namely, research and development, public and private defence production and defence export.

Many armament systems, namely 155 mm X 52 Cal Advance Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Mechanical Mine Layer – Self Propelled (MML– SP) and Prachand Anti-Tank Munition are handed over to the industry for production. Other technologies that were transferred for production by Indian industry are Individual Under Water Breathing Apparatus (IUWBA), Basic WhAP 8×8 & Add-on Armour for WhAP and 4MW Diesel Engine Infrared Signature Suppression System. An MoU was exchanged between DRDO and HAL to cooperate and finalize the aspects of ToTs of Uttam radar for new LCA configurations and new generation Radar Warning Receiver (RWR-NG). 

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