The air force has warned of a crisis aggressive on the troops at the world's highest battleground, Siachen Glacier, as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) fails to manufacture the rotor blades critical for its light helicopters.
The soldiers deployed at a height above 20,000 feet depend heavily on the tough fleet of Cheetah and Cheetal choppers for missions like sufferer migration and critical supplies.
The French-origin light choppers are now artificial by the state-owned HAL. The dedicated rotors blades give them sufficient lift for operating at those exhausting altitudes in random conditions. HAL ongoing making the Cheetah choppers in India in 1972. The air force has spoken deep concern on the future of the aged Cheetah fleet as well as its order for 10 Cheetal helicopters after HAL unsuccessful to produce the 85-series main rotor blades after their French parent stopped up making the blades in 2012.
The defense ministry was informed late last year that the 12 blades HAL had manufactured with a transfer of technology from the original manufacturer Airbus Helicopters showed the high level of vibration and were rendered unsuitable.
The aircraft producer is now down to its last few lots of rotor blades that were prearranged before 2012, quizzical their ability to support the helicopters in service. The accessibility of the fleet could come down if replacement is not in place, the air force informed. The air force is also concerned that its September 2015 order for 10 Cheetal helicopters will be impacted because of the non-availability of the 85-series blades. The helicopters were to be delivered last year as per the original schedule. The worries of the air force were compounded by the fact that a larger plan to replace the aging fleet with the Russian-made Kamov Ka 226 helicopters has not taken off yet.
