HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)

HariPrasad-1

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1) There is no utility for such a helo in Indian service
2) Gunships generally are twin seaters- 1 pilot flies, the other "fights", it would be unlikely you could have a single seat version especially given the LUH's design.

OK......................................
 

AbRaj

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1) There is no utility for such a helo in Indian service
2) Gunships generally are twin seaters- 1 pilot flies, the other "fights", it would be unlikely you could have a single seat version especially given the LUH's design.
You should see the COD MW2 and utility of light armoured helo for enemy infiltration ops
 

Indx TechStyle

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HAL Plans first flight of Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) this month

Already facing a Six-month delay in its first flight first LUH prototype PT-1 still in its primer has been prepped for its first flight by the end of this month said highly reliable sources close to idrw.org.
Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) will be replacing nearly 600 obsolete Cheetah (Aerospatiale SA-315B) and Chetak (Aerospatiale Alouette III) helicopters, which have been operated by the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Internal testing and ground run of engines have been carried out successfully and PT-1 also has been integrated with all necessary Avionics and other test/monitoring sensors for data collection from its first maiden flight.
LUH will be Powered by a new single Shakti 1U turboshaft engine which is a derivative of Twin engined Shakti engine currently used on HAL’s Dhruv Helicopter.
HAL recently completed first maiden flight of its Basic Trainer aircraft (BTA) HTT-40 and Senior officials are keen on conducting flight trials of LUH at earliest and have already started working on the second Prototype to fast track its flight trials since programme already has seen considerable delays so that LUH can achieve its initial operational (IOC) by end of 2017 before series production starts.
 

psri

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HAL LUH : Light Utility Helicopter 1st Flight This Month

 

Gessler

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Okay, So how long it is expected to take after first flight She can be inducted in IA & IAF.
Induction is expected within the next 2 years.

We should now ensure that all of the IAF & IA requirement (also any IN, ICG or other service requirement that might emerge in future) is fulfilled by different versions of the LUH alone. Procurement of the Ka-226T should not be encouraged.

If such pooling of orders is done, expect no less than 400 LUHs to be built eventually. But we shouldn't let the business just stay with HAL - private manufacturers should be brought in to build a part of the order.
 

ezsasa

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If we want LUH to be truly successful, it needs to be opened up to the civilian and police usage.
 

tejas warrior

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Induction is expected within the next 2 years.

We should now ensure that all of the IAF & IA requirement (also any IN, ICG or other service requirement that might emerge in future) is fulfilled by different versions of the LUH alone. Procurement of the Ka-226T should not be encouraged.

If such pooling of orders is done, expect no less than 400 LUHs to be built eventually. But we shouldn't let the business just stay with HAL - private manufacturers should be brought in to build a part of the order.
But unlike LCA of ADA, LUH/Dhruv is HAL product.. right ?

In this case, HAL may simply refuse full transfer of technology to manufacture LUH to private companies.

But yes, there is no need of Ka-226T. Has this actually been tested in Indian conditions ?
 

Narasimh

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But unlike LCA of ADA, LUH/Dhruv is HAL product.. right ?

In this case, HAL may simply refuse full transfer of technology to manufacture LUH to private companies.

But yes, there is no need of Ka-226T. Has this actually been tested in Indian conditions ?
Ka226 is more versatile than LUH with its modular cabin and coaxial rotors, needs small space for landing. It will be filling up for Cheetahs whereas LUH is more likely to replace the Chetaks and can be used for civilian purposes including policing and ambulance.
 

tejas warrior

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Ka226 is more versatile than LUH with its modular cabin and coaxial rotors, needs small space for landing. It will be filling up for Cheetahs whereas LUH is more likely to replace the Chetaks and can be used for civilian purposes including policing and ambulance.

Tell me one thing, Can we not make modular cabin for LUH in future ? It should not be that much difficult.
 

ezsasa

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Tell me one thing, Can we not make modular cabin for LUH in future ? It should not be that much difficult.
May not be possible now. Modularity cannot be brought after the design freeze, it has to be part of the design objective.

Anyways LUH is a simple classic design. HAL may not be the right company to go for modularity and stuff, only a private company can.
 

Raj Malhotra

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I think HAL will neither fly nor productise LUH till massive import orders are already in place like in the case of HTT-40 and Rustom. It may be very lucrative for HAL management to fail and delay endlessely.
 
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