rajkhalsa
04-29-2005, 07:14 PM
Hi
India's No.201UH Army Aviation squadron was raised at Bangalore and became the first to receive the indigenously developed Hindustan Aeronautics 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), on 15 Sept. 2001. This was a quantum jump for the Army, which had previously operated only Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
During Aero India, this squadron gave a short demonstration on how this helicopter will be used by Army Aviation supporting commandos on an assault role in a remote jungle enviroment. The demonstration included a mock area sweep by a HAL Lancer light attack helicopter, followed by an airdrop of a jeep, equipment and para-commandos from the Dhruv.
All pics courtesy B Harry of ACIG.org
http://img117.echo.cx/img117/4051/12sy.jpg
^ The demonstration is started off by arrival the HAL Lancer, an upgraded and armed derivative (not variant) of the Cheetah helicopter. In this type of operation, is will be used to sanitize the area of any opposition before the para-commandos are actually dropped. Lancers are operated with the Indian Army's No.4 (I) AA Flight.
This example (Z-1857), carries two attack pods, each containing a 12.7 mm gun and three 70 mm rockets. Both the Lancer and Dhruv have been exported to Nepal where they have been used with great success by the Nepalis against the Maoist insurgency.
Once the area is secure, the commandos may be injected. Two Dhruvs arrive on the scene while the Lancer orbits, looking for any other opposition.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3641/12mi.jpg
^ HAL Dhruv, IA-1102, carries the load of para-commandos for the air drop.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/9011/19sh.jpg
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/6052/12zj1.jpg
^ A second Dhruv, IA-1103, carries in a jeep for the para-commandos to use. The Dhruv is capable of underslung load up to 1500 kg. Interestingly, IA-1103 was one of the two Dhruvs formally handed over to Army Aviation on March 20, 2002.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/135/14hj.jpg
^ IA-1102 gets ready to deploy it's occupants from the "slithering" rope. Slithering is a highly-effective Indian "fast-roping" technique first developed by the army during the 1971 war, which required troop insertion during monsoon downpours and near-hurricane force winds.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/6254/13cr.jpg
^ The technique was taught to American commandos during Ex Yudh Abyas 2004, and to Chilean commandos during Dhruv demonstrations. Chile may be the first international export customer for the Dhuv.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3793/18in.jpg
^ IA-1102 drops its commandos, who secure the area, board the jeep, and drive off. [Unforunately, not caputred on camera, as the photgrapher was focusing on the helos (hey, its an airshow, after all ;))] Mission accomplished, the helicopter leaves the area.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3035/14ih.jpg
^ IA-1103 returns to deploy it's own load of commandos, as well.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3167/10cg.jpg
^ Ropes are deployed from the cargo bay as well as the main door. The clamshell cabin door is opened and a second rope is deployed from the same location.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/4182/10iy.jpg
^ Two commandos slither down from the helicopter.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/1927/10yt1.jpg
^ A total of four commandos are deployed.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/9239/17ay2.jpg
^ These first-batch Dhruvs are employed as transports, and hence lack any armament, but are used for the purposes of demonstration. The Dhuv however is a multi-role light helicopter that will also be employed in the combat role.
The Army's 'weapons system integrated' helicopters will feature a chin-mounted, three-barrel 20mm gun from Lockheed Martin and four pylons - each having two hard points - which will enable it to carry eight Nag anti-tank guided missiles, four 68mm or 70mm rocket pods or four tube-launched air-to-air missiles. The photo above is an early-model prototype from Aero India 1996.
As a bonus, here are some pics from the Indian Air Force's "Sarang" (Peacock) aerobatic team, who fly the HAL Dhruv. Here they are performing at the Aero India 2005
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/7080/13jr.jpg
^ The Sarangs are one of the world's few Helibatics teams and certainly the most prolific, despite their young age. Conceived in June 2003, the team is a part of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of the IAF.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/7264/19om.jpg
^ All initial deliveries of the IAF variant of the Dhruv, went to the Sarang. (J-4041, J-4042, J-4043, J-4044, J-4045 and J-4046)
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2246/11az.jpg
^ Credit to HAL for the stunning paintscheme on the Dhruv
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9475/18wl.jpg
^ Breakaway after a short formation flight. The Sarang rehearse in up to 10 practice sessions per week, flying to the defence airfield at Kolar, near Bangalore. The routine starts at 7:30 AM and goes on till 2:30 PM. Each sessions is recorded on video for post-flight analysis.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2301/10jw.jpg
^ The Dhruv prepares to fly backwards. Maneuvering a helicopter for an aerial display is much more difficult than doing the same with a fixed wing aircraft.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/8602/10ln.jpg
^ The Air Force variant of the Dhruv, is primarily for utility duties. The IAF is expected to take delivery of both skid versions and variants with a fixed undercarriage and an increased MTOW of 5750 kg.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9300/13zt1.jpg
^ Most pilots of the Sarang team, have had extensive experience in flying over the Siachin glacier and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9458/11wy1.jpg
^ While in Chile, Dhruvs flew from Santiago, Arica, La Copiapo, past Mt.Ancagua, Naval warships and hill tops at altitudes of 15,000 feet.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5243/19bg.jpg
^ Many of the intense moves are facilitated by the Dhruv's hingeless fibre rotors which have a 13.7 % offset flapping hinge.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2682/10br.jpg
^ Military versions of the Dhruv have a fuel dump system whereas the civilian variant lacks this feature.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5281/19wi.jpg
^ Each session would always start and end with a tandem formation flight. Although a part of the ASTE which is located at Bangalore's HAL Airport, the Sarang are mostly based at the separate HAL Helicopter division.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5939/17ls.jpg
^ Yikes
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5685/10hq.jpg
^ The Dhruv's sustained turn rate has been cleared as 60°/sec at 20,000 feet, although an STRs of 90°/sec have been achieved during tests.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9769/16bg.jpg
^ Some cross-overs
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9850/18vr.jpg
^ Like all Dhruvs at the show, the Sarang have to retire to HAL's Helicopter division at the end of each day.
Cheers woot
-Raj
India's No.201UH Army Aviation squadron was raised at Bangalore and became the first to receive the indigenously developed Hindustan Aeronautics 'Dhruv' Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), on 15 Sept. 2001. This was a quantum jump for the Army, which had previously operated only Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
During Aero India, this squadron gave a short demonstration on how this helicopter will be used by Army Aviation supporting commandos on an assault role in a remote jungle enviroment. The demonstration included a mock area sweep by a HAL Lancer light attack helicopter, followed by an airdrop of a jeep, equipment and para-commandos from the Dhruv.
All pics courtesy B Harry of ACIG.org
http://img117.echo.cx/img117/4051/12sy.jpg
^ The demonstration is started off by arrival the HAL Lancer, an upgraded and armed derivative (not variant) of the Cheetah helicopter. In this type of operation, is will be used to sanitize the area of any opposition before the para-commandos are actually dropped. Lancers are operated with the Indian Army's No.4 (I) AA Flight.
This example (Z-1857), carries two attack pods, each containing a 12.7 mm gun and three 70 mm rockets. Both the Lancer and Dhruv have been exported to Nepal where they have been used with great success by the Nepalis against the Maoist insurgency.
Once the area is secure, the commandos may be injected. Two Dhruvs arrive on the scene while the Lancer orbits, looking for any other opposition.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3641/12mi.jpg
^ HAL Dhruv, IA-1102, carries the load of para-commandos for the air drop.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/9011/19sh.jpg
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/6052/12zj1.jpg
^ A second Dhruv, IA-1103, carries in a jeep for the para-commandos to use. The Dhruv is capable of underslung load up to 1500 kg. Interestingly, IA-1103 was one of the two Dhruvs formally handed over to Army Aviation on March 20, 2002.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/135/14hj.jpg
^ IA-1102 gets ready to deploy it's occupants from the "slithering" rope. Slithering is a highly-effective Indian "fast-roping" technique first developed by the army during the 1971 war, which required troop insertion during monsoon downpours and near-hurricane force winds.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/6254/13cr.jpg
^ The technique was taught to American commandos during Ex Yudh Abyas 2004, and to Chilean commandos during Dhruv demonstrations. Chile may be the first international export customer for the Dhuv.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3793/18in.jpg
^ IA-1102 drops its commandos, who secure the area, board the jeep, and drive off. [Unforunately, not caputred on camera, as the photgrapher was focusing on the helos (hey, its an airshow, after all ;))] Mission accomplished, the helicopter leaves the area.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3035/14ih.jpg
^ IA-1103 returns to deploy it's own load of commandos, as well.
http://img95.echo.cx/img95/3167/10cg.jpg
^ Ropes are deployed from the cargo bay as well as the main door. The clamshell cabin door is opened and a second rope is deployed from the same location.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/4182/10iy.jpg
^ Two commandos slither down from the helicopter.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/1927/10yt1.jpg
^ A total of four commandos are deployed.
http://img28.echo.cx/img28/9239/17ay2.jpg
^ These first-batch Dhruvs are employed as transports, and hence lack any armament, but are used for the purposes of demonstration. The Dhuv however is a multi-role light helicopter that will also be employed in the combat role.
The Army's 'weapons system integrated' helicopters will feature a chin-mounted, three-barrel 20mm gun from Lockheed Martin and four pylons - each having two hard points - which will enable it to carry eight Nag anti-tank guided missiles, four 68mm or 70mm rocket pods or four tube-launched air-to-air missiles. The photo above is an early-model prototype from Aero India 1996.
As a bonus, here are some pics from the Indian Air Force's "Sarang" (Peacock) aerobatic team, who fly the HAL Dhruv. Here they are performing at the Aero India 2005
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/7080/13jr.jpg
^ The Sarangs are one of the world's few Helibatics teams and certainly the most prolific, despite their young age. Conceived in June 2003, the team is a part of the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) of the IAF.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/7264/19om.jpg
^ All initial deliveries of the IAF variant of the Dhruv, went to the Sarang. (J-4041, J-4042, J-4043, J-4044, J-4045 and J-4046)
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2246/11az.jpg
^ Credit to HAL for the stunning paintscheme on the Dhruv
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9475/18wl.jpg
^ Breakaway after a short formation flight. The Sarang rehearse in up to 10 practice sessions per week, flying to the defence airfield at Kolar, near Bangalore. The routine starts at 7:30 AM and goes on till 2:30 PM. Each sessions is recorded on video for post-flight analysis.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2301/10jw.jpg
^ The Dhruv prepares to fly backwards. Maneuvering a helicopter for an aerial display is much more difficult than doing the same with a fixed wing aircraft.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/8602/10ln.jpg
^ The Air Force variant of the Dhruv, is primarily for utility duties. The IAF is expected to take delivery of both skid versions and variants with a fixed undercarriage and an increased MTOW of 5750 kg.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9300/13zt1.jpg
^ Most pilots of the Sarang team, have had extensive experience in flying over the Siachin glacier and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9458/11wy1.jpg
^ While in Chile, Dhruvs flew from Santiago, Arica, La Copiapo, past Mt.Ancagua, Naval warships and hill tops at altitudes of 15,000 feet.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5243/19bg.jpg
^ Many of the intense moves are facilitated by the Dhruv's hingeless fibre rotors which have a 13.7 % offset flapping hinge.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/2682/10br.jpg
^ Military versions of the Dhruv have a fuel dump system whereas the civilian variant lacks this feature.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5281/19wi.jpg
^ Each session would always start and end with a tandem formation flight. Although a part of the ASTE which is located at Bangalore's HAL Airport, the Sarang are mostly based at the separate HAL Helicopter division.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5939/17ls.jpg
^ Yikes
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/5685/10hq.jpg
^ The Dhruv's sustained turn rate has been cleared as 60°/sec at 20,000 feet, although an STRs of 90°/sec have been achieved during tests.
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9769/16bg.jpg
^ Some cross-overs
http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9850/18vr.jpg
^ Like all Dhruvs at the show, the Sarang have to retire to HAL's Helicopter division at the end of each day.
Cheers woot
-Raj