Latest news with #AdvancedLightHelicopters
The Print
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Amid tensions with Pakistan, grounded ALH fleet for Army & IAF cleared for limited operations
It added that 'a time-bound plan for the resumption of operations has been worked out with the users,' referring to the two services. 'The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations,' state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer of the helicopters, said in a statement. New Delhi: Amid rising tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, the grounded fleet of Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) belonging to the Army and Air Force has been cleared for operations. The fleet of the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard will remain grounded. Sources in the defence establishment said no parts have to be immediately replaced across the fleet but the Defect Investigation Committee has given certain recommendation on the checks and quality parameters that the operators should follow. The entire ALH fleet—comprising more than 180 Army ALHs (including 60 Rudra armed variants), 75 Air Force helicopters, 24 Navy and 19 Coast Guard helicopters—has been grounded since a tragic crash of a Coast Guard helicopter that killed three personnel in January. Last week, however, the helicopters got limited clearances for operations in Jammu and Kashmir due to the ongoing tensions with Pakistan, with operations permitted only in specific emergency cases. Tension has ratcheted up between India and Pakistan after the 22 April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 people. India holds Pakistan-backed terror groups responsible for the attack and has taken a series of punitive measures. Pakistan has responded with tit for tat measures. Sources said initial investigation in the January crash pointed to a fracture in the swashplate, a critical component in the helicopter's transmission system that translates pilot inputs into rotor blade motion. A fleet-wide inspection later revealed cracks in the swashplates of some Navy and Coast Guard ALHs, particularly those operating in saline maritime environments, raising concerns about material fatigue and environmental stress. Since its induction, the ALH platform has logged over 450,000 flight hours and served critical roles in transport, logistics, reconnaissance and search-and-rescue missions, especially in high-altitude and border areas. However, it has also faced a troubled safety record with at least 28 crashes reported over the past 25 years. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also read: ALH Mk-IIIs grounded yet again after fatal Porbandar crash. What grounding of a fleet entails
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Business Standard
24-04-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Army permits limited flying of Dhruv helicopters after Pahalgam attack
The Army has allowed the resumption of limited flying by Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv in view of the Pahalgam terror attack, people familiar with the matter have said. The entire fleet of over 330 Dhruv helicopters operated by the Army, Navy, the Air Force and the Coast Guard was grounded in early January following the crash of one of the choppers. The Army has allowed limited flying by ALH Dhruv to help in counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the people cited above said on Wednesday. A Dhruv helicopter of the Coast Guard crashed at the Porbandar airport runway in Gujarat on January 5. Two pilots and an aircrew diver of the helicopter were killed in the incident. The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv)) is a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission new-generation helicopter in the 5.5-tonne weight class. More than 340 Dhruv helicopters have been produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd so far.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest: April 24, 2025
Pahalgam terror attack: Who are the victims? Full list Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon (April 22, 2025), killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists, in what appears to be the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. Encounter breaks out in Kulgam in J&K A gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (April 23, 2025), officials said in Srinagar. We will not only reach out to those who have carried out this incident, but also to those who, sitting behind the scenes, planned it: Rajnath The Union government will take every necessary and appropriate step, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in strong remarks on Wednesday (April 23, 2025), a day after 26 tourists were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He assured citizens that authorities would pursue not only those who carried out the incident but also those 'sitting behind the scenes,' who conspired to commit such 'nefarious acts' on Indian soil. Terrorists kept firing for 25-30 minutes, recalls Pahalgam eyewitness A day after 26 people were killed in a terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam, Paras Jain (40), a resident of Maharashtra who escaped the attack, said that terrorists dressed in camouflage uniforms targeted tourists from four corners of the vast meadow at Baisaran. Non-bailable warrant issued against Medha Patkar for failing to comply with court order A Delhi court on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) issued a non-bailable warrant against Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar for failing to comply with its order to submit probation bonds and deposit ₹1 lakh fine in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. Pahalgam terror attack: India decides to keep Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, close Attari border post India has decided to keep the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalagam a day before. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the announcement on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) after a meeting of a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at the Prime Minister's residence. Government to hold all-party meet on Pahalgam attack on April 24 The Union government has convened an all-party meeting on Thursday (April 24, 2025) in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead and several injured. In the aftermath of Pahalgam attack, grounded Dhruv helicopters resume flying in the Anantnag area Underscoring the critical shortage of helicopters faced by the armed forces since the grounding of the entire fleet of indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) following a crash in January, the ALH resumed flying in the Anantnag area in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. India to work with Saudi Arabia to enhance stability of global oil markets India has agreed to work with Saudi Arabia to enhance the stability of global oil markets and to balance global energy market dynamics, according to a joint statement issued on Wednesday (April 23, 2025). Pakistan's top civil and military leadership to meet on April 24 to formulate response to India's move: Pak. Defence Minister Asif Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) night said that the top civilian and military leadership will meet on Thursday (April 24, 2025) to formulate an appropriate response to India's move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties. Pahalgam wears ghost town's look after attack Pahalgam, a favourite among honeymooners and leisure travellers, wore a ghost town's look on Wednesday. Over 90% of around 20,000 hotel rooms went empty in just 24 hours of the Baisaran attack that left 26 civilians, mostly tourists, dead. Pahalgam attack: PM Modi holds meeting in Delhi, Shah meets survivors amid shutdown in Valley Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) held a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Delhi airport upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia to take stock of the situation following the terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. Kuki houses set ablaze in Manipur's Naga-dominated district Unknown miscreants on Wednesday (April 23, 2025) set fire to several houses in two Kuki villages of Manipur's Naga-dominated Kamjong, a district bordering Myanmar, prompting the authorities to impose prohibitory orders. Sunrisers fail to shine as a rampant Mumbai makes it four on the trot A year ago, Sunrisers Hyderabad registered what was then the highest ever total in the IPL (277 for three) against Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here. Little over a year later in a rematch at the same venue, the visitor came out on top, chasing the modest 144-run target with seven wickets and 26 balls to spare.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
In the aftermath of Pahalgam attack, grounded Dhruv helicopters resume flying in the Anantnag area
Underscoring the critical shortage of helicopters faced by the armed forces since the grounding of the entire fleet of indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) following a crash in January, the ALH resumed flying in the Anantnag area in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. The ground commander executing the operation has been given permission by the Union Defence Ministry to use ALHs based on requirement, defence sources said on Wednesday. A Dhruv ALH-MkIII of the Indian Coast Guard crashed at Porbandar in Gujarat on January 5, killing three personnel on board, including the two pilots and one air crew diver. Following this, the entire fleet of over 300 ALHs with the three services and Coast Guard were grounded for safety checks, and their flying was yet to resume, significantly hampering operations. On the situation in Kashmir, defence sources said around 125-130 terrorists were estimated to be active, of which almost 115-120 were Pakistani nationals. The intent of the attack appears to have been to disrupt the normalcy and peace that has settled in the region since the abrogation of Article 370, one defence source said, citing the number of tourists and pilgrims for the Amarnath Yatra in the past two years. Sources in the know said that the lack of specific intelligence was the biggest lapse. One source said that a general alert of a possible threat was issued two weeks ago, and the focus was on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, which has faced threats in the past, but there was no indication of a possible attack in Pahalgam. In addition, sources said there were no security personnel in around ten locations near the incident, and there was a lack of electronic surveillance in tourist areas.
