With certification complete, the first weaponised ALH Dhruv armed helicopter, christened Rudra, will formally receive certification next week. The Indian Army will receive its first Rudra at Aero India that kicks off on February 6 at the Yelahanka air force base in South India.
Here’s some official literature on the platform:
Rudra can carry 48 70mm rockets. Different warheads such as high explosive, darts, flechettes or cargo warheads provide adequate flexibility to address any type of target. These rockets can be safely delivered at standoff ranges of more than 8 km. The turret mounted 20 mm cannons can be cued to the electro optical pod or the pilot’s helmet. This provides Rudra immediate and accurate firepower against ground and aerial targets. Pilot only has to look at the target and fire. With an advanced ballistic computer, the guns are very accurate even at extreme angles. Fire and forget anti-tank guided missiles with 7-km range make Rudra an ideal platform for ground support roles. Rudra can carry four air to air missiles. These are infra red guided fire and forget missiles with off axis boresight capability. Pilot can engage the target using the helmet mounted sight or with the electro optical pod, while manoeuvering.
State of the art sensors complement this tremendous firepower. Gyrostabilised electro optical sensors work on both visual and IR spectrum. Any type of target will be picked up and tracked at large distances, whether by day or by night. These targets can be handed over to the guided missiles or attacked with rockets and gun. The laser designator can designate the target for any compatible weapon. A comprehensive self protection suite would empower the pilot with essential situational awareness of the elctromagnetic and laser environment. Any missile launched on the helicopter would be picked up by the self protection suite and effective countermeasures dispensed automatically. This makes Rudra practically unassailable.
looks good. what ATGMs will it carry?…nag or shturm etc?
The bird looks awesome!! what will be its color in the Army ?
Good Work Shiv…Thanks !
It seems ALH Rudra does not have even a single ATGM (Anti Tank/Armour Missile )integrated with it at the moment.
Though I believe only Two (02)nos HELINA (Heli Born NAG Ani Tank Missile) will be integrated later…
Practically If I think that Rudra is going to Help and provide close air support to our Infantry and Armoured Brigades while staying close with Brigade during Attack,
Then with only two Helina ATGM how..it will be really effective against our enemy Tank/Armoured columns …paving the way for our Infantry and Tank brigades..is questionable. Compare this with any other contemporary armed/combat helicopter..i believe all has at-least 8-16 ATGM carrying capacity during a attack mission along side their Army columns!!!
LoL, hal & drdo wallahs boasts of nonsense talks. With this given specification, forget apache or mi28 even f22 & j20 will run away from Indian air-space.
Ok… Now go back to taxi driving
To Anon @5:30PM
It will likely carry 8 x Lahat or CLGM missiles. If it decides to take Helina, it can carry only 4 because of the increased weight.
Shiv i want to ask you a question, can post some update about HAL LCH, about the FOC of LCH?
Great work.
HAL/DRDO must aim for 100% indigenisation of Dhruv / Rudra. What is annual manufacturing capacity of the Helicopter. HAL must now aim for commercial success of the Helicopter. For this purpose, it needs to increase production and export both civilian and military versions of the Helicopter.
While talking about commercial / marketing interests of products from Defense PSUs, I wish to ask the purpose of visit of chief of IAF to Israel. India is such a large market that if summoned, the CEOs of all companies of Israel will come running to India. We should not buy any military hardware from any country at the cost our own industry. IAF Chief must participate in earliest induction of LCA for active service in IAF.
Overall it is an excellent news.
I like the name "Rudra". Will wait to watch what Avataar's it will come up with. Kudos to those who were involved in building this.
Indian,
There are two types of helicopters—light attack and heavy attack….the ones who can carry 8 ATGMs are the heavier versrions like the Apache or The Tiger….The ALH design was primarily meant for Siachen operations…and what it lacks in firepower, Rudra can make up in numbers….IAF & Indian army will together operate more than 200 Rudras and LCH….while IAF can have only 22 Apaches
Apologies for the n00b question…but with weaponization does it means this model can no longer carry troops…
Hi Shiv,
are the FLIR and other avionics the same as TOPLITE?
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