Lockheed-Martin is looking to engage Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in a bid to push the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire chopper-launched anti-armour missile system for the weaponised Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, also called the Dhruv-WSI (weapons systems integrated). The proposal is charted out as one of Lockheed’s long-term proposals for India, though the company confirms that “[HAL] requires large quantities of Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) systems to be installed on its Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) for the Indian Army requirement. This opportunity is being developed in consultation with the USG and GOI.”
The Indian Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has been cleared for production for the Indian Army in the ground-launched variant, though the Helina (HELIcopter-launched NAg) will take atleast another 18 months to be ready for operations and integration on the Dhruv-WSI. The Helina, incidentally, has similar stated range and other parameters to the Longbow Hellfire. The missile is expected to enter its live test phase this November. The Army has 104 Dhruv choppers on order from HAL at the moment.
shiv, a lot of good reports !
could you give us a break up of the 104 Dhruvs on order ?
all WSI ? which engine ? TM3332b2 or the shakti ?
thanks.
its the classic case of usurping when the adversary has exhausted his limited time-bound options …..similar to the case when the GE 404 offer for next batch of Tejas was replaced ,by the superior GE 414 ,coz KAVERI managed to bring up comparable operating parameters.
For God's sake why are we turning this into a circus. As if the Israelis, Frenchies, Russis were not enough, now we have the Amrikans also adding to the confusion. I am sure once HellFire gets installed, Helina will be a dodo.
Indian Army must stick with Helina project. They must learn from the Indian Navy. The Navy is going to introduce the Kaveri Marine Turbine engine and placed an order for 40 of them. The next variant is going to be much more powerful and will free IN from importing such engines. Similarly the Army must induct Helina into the Army in numbers rather than importing, importing and importing.
How many of these 104 Dhruvs pending for the Army are of the WSI configuration?
How many of them does the Army already have?
And what about the celebrated LCH project?
DRDO should make ready in on time , if not others will enter easily . If helina work is over why they wasting much time , we dont want these type of example to happen again , Kaveri( selected GEIN20 / Ge414 or M-88), Arjun ( selected T-90), Akash(selected syder SR missile ), Lca(MMRCA deal) , Trisul (Barak 2 )… …. ….. . these happens due to heavy delay , Even though our weapons are good enough , our indian forces have lost hope in these products due to weapons have not relished at the time of requirement . so DRDO should try hard to take immediate steps .
LCA Update??
Any update on LCH?
There was news earlier stating that initial prototype will be flying in Aug-2009
Eagerly waiting on this.
Why doesn't the Army wait a little more time for the HELINA rather than waste precious foreign exchange.Unlike the Indian Navy the Army seems to have no interest in indigenization.
Why doesn't the Army wait a little more time for the HELINA rather than waste precious foreign exchange
———————————-
Because the Army knows if DRDO says 18 months it really means 18 years. NOT joking. Nag will continue to use imported seeker which accounts for 60-65% of the missile cost. Then why stick to a subsonic missile at all.
shiv, could you reply to my question please ? first one in list.
thanks.
http://www.hal-india.com/MinskSquareMatters-Issue81.pdf
check hal website MSM. The MD of Helicopter complex says LCH is slated to fly in NOV2009!
fighterclass: not sure, will try finding out.
It is very good choosing local until the day when you fire a Nag at a Pakistani tank and the godamn thing starts corkscrewing like a firecracker spewing parts and flames off it and making a 'here I am' fiery signal right back to the Dhruv.
Indian lives are more important than Indian pride.
^^^
exactly the reason why idiots like you should be in jail.
Nag is a decent missile – but not world class.
India has to start somewhere with every type of missile.
The next generation of missiles will be better…..its all a matter of evolution…the yanks didn't product the Hellfire, Javelin etc. in their first attempt at an ATGM…the precursors were the now obsolete Copperhead, early versions of the TOW etc….
anon, go check the details again, nag has a pop up maneuver which is really advanced, it attacks the top of tanks which is the vulnerable area. only now have the germans starting to build a comparable missile.
I dont understand what fascination this guy "Vincent" has for India. Why cant he find some other interest, someone else to nag, some other community to offend. We know your parents didn't love you but DRDO is not responsible for that.
now what with the project LCH, is it going to be same as LCA that will go for a decade, sudhar jao yaar! dont talk big just do it
ya ivan, go and check how long modern aircraft projects take.
yes it will take more than a decade. that is still less than any other combat helo project worldwide.
NAG is more advanced than the hellfire-missile. the americans knows this. that's why the want to scuttle & end the NAG project forever. you see he americans can't stand the fact that their weapons are inferior than those of china/russia/india.
Guys this is a trap to end india's missile superiority vis-a-vis pakistan.
every patrotic indian must stand up now united to fight american injustice.
Say yes to NAG , Say yes to HELINA. if possible take out a signature campaign. come what may we must not let america unload it's junk on india.
Mera-Bharat-Mahan
ALLAH-o-Akbar !!!!
Here the yanks come to offer once we are about to do it. Sell 'em whatever they can make on their own. Interesting logic. Hope army sticks with Helina.