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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Homegrown LUH Takes To The Skies

Yesterday, as Pakistan’s armed forces were celebrating their 51st ‘Youm-e-Difaa’ (National Defence Day), the Ministry of Defence-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) conducted the 15-minute-long maiden flight of its homegrown, multi-role, 3.15-tonne, single-engined Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), 440 of which are required for the three armed services of India (125 for the Air Force, 259 for the Army and 56 for the Navy) over the following decade.
Yesterday’s LUH maiden flight was the culmination of seven years of R & D, this being indicative of a longer-than envisaged R & D period for the prototype. The MoD, it may be recalled, had sanctioned Rs. 376 crores for developing the LUH and HAL’s Rotary Wing Research & Design Centre (RWR & DC) began working on this project in February 2009. The MoD had then specified a target date for each of the LUH’ R & D milestones: building a full-scale mock-up; the design freeze; maiden flight; and attainment of Initial Operational Clearance (IOC). Back then, HAL had promised to freeze the LUH’s design by late 2010; conduct the maiden flight of the first prototype by 2012; obtain the certificate of airworthiness and IOC clearance by 2014, and begin delivery of series-production models by 2015.
But, as expected, none of those targetted milestones were met. The LUH’s design was frozen in only 2013 and its sole full-scale mock-up for evaluation and assessment was ready only by February 2015. Only after that did work begin on building a ground test vehicle (GTV) for design validation and testing of all dynamic systems, and the three projected flying prototypes for flight-tests and airworthiness certification. As of now, the revised milestones call for the flight-tests and airworthiness certification processes to be completed by 2019 at best, with IOC being targetted for 2021. All-in-all, therefore, a delay of six (06) years.
Such delayed attainment of the specified R & D milestones have been witnessed in case of the homegrown, 5.8-tonne light combat helicopter (LCH), work on which had begun at HAL’s RWR & DC way back  on October 3, 2006 when the MoD sanctioned a sum of Rs.376.67 crores for HAL to design and develop the LCH over a 24-month period. Powered by twin Ardiden 1H (1,200shp TM333-2C2 Shakti) engines, the first LCH prototype—TD-1—completed its first ground-run on February 4, 2010 and its maiden flight was logged on March 29, 2010. 
Exactly a year later, the Indian Air Force (IAF) placed a production indent with HAL for procuring 64 LCHs.  Three months later, the LCH’s second prototype, TD-2, made its maiden flight on June 28, 2011.  The third prototype—TD-3—made its maiden flight on November 12, 2014, while the fourth and last prototype—TD-4—took to the skies on December 1, 2015.
The LCH was originally targetted in 2006 to achieve its IOC by 2013, but as of now, it has yet to complete its weapons-firing trials (due to delayed availability of the DRDO-developed HELINA IIR-guided ATGM) and its self-protection sensor suite (comprising radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers and missile approach warning system) has yet to be integrated with the airframe. IOC attainment now is not expected before the end of 2018. The estimated delay in milestone attainment is six (06) years as well.  
The LUH, powered by a single 750kW Turbomeca Ardiden 1U engine along with a HAL-developed main gearbox and a Turbomeca-designed transmission, will have a maximum all-up-weight of 3,150Kg, have a range of 350Km and service ceiling 6.5Km (21,300 feet), and a seating capacity of six passengers plus two pilots. The LUH, being multi-purpose, will carry out various roles such as armed reconnaissance, troop transport, CASEVAC, ferrying underslung cargo, search-and-rescue, and flying training.
Just like the 5.5-tonne Dhruv ALH and LCH, the LUH will contain an avionics suite developed by HALBIT Avionics Pvt Ltd (HALBIT), which was created in May 2007 by Israel’s Elbit Systems, HAL and MerlinHawk Associates Pvt Ltd. The suite will include an: integrated AMLCD-based glass cockpit, a chin-mounted ‘Compass’ lightweight FLIR turret licence-assembled by the MoD-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd, a HAL-developed multi-bandwidth software-defined radio, and the Colour ANVIS NVG night vision goggle. The self-protection sensor suite, supplied by Sweden’s SaabTech (and identical to those installed on the LCH and the ‘Rudra’ helicopter-gunship version of the Dhruv Mk.4 ALH), will be installed and integrated by HALBIT.
In addition, several force-multiplier options are on the table for incorporation, since a low-flying LUH will be especially vulnerable to threats such as difficult terrain, enemy fire and the intersection of utility wires in the flight path, and will therefore often be required to operate in a Degraded Visual Environment (DVE), adding to the already heavy workload and leaving flight crews to rely on NVGs to accomplish their mission. Factors limiting the pilots’ FOV include: complete darkness, poor weather conditions, brownouts, whiteouts and sandstorms. 
To overcome such shortcomings and limitations, Elbit Systems’ BrightNite solution is now available. BrightNite enables utility helicopters of all types to successfully perform DVE missions in more than 90% of night-flying situations, providing them with piloting capabilities of attack helicopters.
Lightweight and compact, BrightNite is a multi-spectral end-to-end panoramic piloting solution that delivers the essential data directly to both eyes of the pilot, enabling intuitive flight in a head-up, eyes-out orientation in pitch dark and other DVE conditions. For helicopters like the Rudra and LUH, this unique solution comprises a FLIR turret and highly sensitive Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensors that present an ultra-wide field-of-regard intuitive image to a display system that projects into the ANVIS helmet-mounted NVG. The display is overlaid by a synthetic layer that follows the contours of the landscape and a third layer of 3-D conformal symbology, which displays hazards, mission-conformal symbology and tactical data. Multiple crew-members can simultaneously scan the entire field-of-regard, using a single sensor and the synthetic world, thereby enabling them to fly in common line-of-sight.
Like the Dhruv/Rudra and the LCH, the LUH too adheres to the following FAR/MILSPEC standards:
* US Army Aeronautical Design Standard-33E (ADS-33E)
* Flaw-Tolerant Rotor System: FAR/JAR 29.571, AM 29-28
* Crashworthy Fuel System: FAR/JAR 29.952, AM 29-35
* Flaw-Tolerant Drive Train with Over-Torque Certification: FAR/JAR 29.952, AM 29-28
* Turbine Burst Protection: FAR/JAR 29.901, AM 29-36
* Composite Spar Main & Tail Rotor Blades with lightning strike protection: FAR/JAR 1309(h), AM 29-40
* Engine Compartment Fire Protection: FAR/JAR 29.1193
* Redundant Hydraulics & Flaw Tolerant Flight Controls: FAR/JAR 29.571, AM 29-28
* Aircraft-Wide Bird Strike Protection: FAR/JAR 29.631, AM 29-40
* Crashworthiness Standard: NATO’s MIL-STD-1290
* Crashworthy Seats conforming to MIL-STD-1472B
* Cockpit Instrumentation Lighting Conforming to MIL-STD-85762A
* Avionics Databus: MIL-STD-1553B or ARINC-429
* Autopilot Accuracy: MIL-F-9490D
* Embedded MIL-STD-188-141B ALE Link Protection
* Embedded MIL-STD-188-110B data modem
When operating as an armed aeroscout platform for battlespace surveillance, the LUH will be armed with twin rocket pods housing 2.75-inch rockets supplied by Belgium’s FZ, and four Mistral ATAM air-to-air missiles from MBDA.
Series-production of the LUH will be undertaken at a greenfield facility set up by HAL at BiderehallaKaval, Gubbi Taluk, Tumakuru, about 70km from Bengaluru. The foundation stone for this facility was laid on January 3, 2016 by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
For radically improving the LUH’s hot-and-high operating parameters and enhancing flight safety, an option that could well be utilised in future under the auspices of the US-India Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), under which HAL will be required to form an industrial partnership with US-based AVX Aircraft Company for incorporating the latter’s patented modification kit into the LUH’s airframe.
With its unique blend of co-axial rotors and dual ducted-fans, the AVX  kit offers greater aerodynamic and fuel efficiency, speed, range, payload, improved hover-out-of-ground effect (HOGE), and the ability to operate in hotter temperatures and at higher altitudes than any of today’s conventional light helicopters. It also reduces brown-out conditions in the landing configuration since, thanks to the ducted-fans, the helicopter can use a 5-degree nose-down or even-level approach to the landing zone. This increases flight safety by giving the pilot a greatly improved view of the landing zone.

229 comments:

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Unknown said...

Dear Prasun

Thanks for your inputs. you have lambasted the present and past bunch of indian politicians rightly for lack of military vision. well there are a lot of statements from present government that present Govt that they are serious about their comments. heard also folks like sheshadri chari talking of this year being the last year of independence of Pakistan. US democrats have moved a bill in US congress declaring Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism. Somehow things are falling in space just as you predicted. still the question is that will the present govt have the balls to finally use the military option in slicing pakistan. Please share your thoughts

thanks and regards

kunal

Anonymous said...

Dear Prasun,
What 90 per cent of ‘indigenous spares parts’ are they talking about in this article?
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/mig-29-combat-aircraft-upgradation-in-final-stage-at-11-brd/386633/

Pranav

Sethz said...

Prasun, Care to elaborate on the "over a dozen India specific enhancements" on the IAF version of the Rafale ? The only one that the media has been talking about is the HMDS of Israeli origin - possibly the RC/ Elbit Systems Gen 3. But I hope that it includes the Rafael Litening III targeting pod instead of the outdated Damocles that upgrades the unidirectional data communication of the Rafale to bi- directional data comm. I also hope that all Rafales being ordered will be the F3R standard.

financeblogger said...

Mr. Prasun, it seems the Indian government has been heeding to your suggestions. As in the past, now post Uri attack, beginning from wrt Indus water treaty as stated in the link below

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cant-be-one-sided-affair-India-on-56-year-old-Indus-Water-Treaty-with-Pakistan/articleshow/54467689.cms


Your take on the above.

rad said...

hi prasun
Is any TOT for aesa radar included in this deal?. Is there any tot ?.

sumit said...

Dada.. Rafale ke upar ek thread to banta hain aaj..

VIKRAM GUHA said...

PrasunDa,

Once again you have shed light on the Rafale deal that no newspaper or TV channel has evn thought about, leave alone reporting it.

Therefore, will you please explain :

1. Why did the French decide to bring down the price from €12 billion in May 2015 to €8.6 billion on 25-26 January, 2016 ?

2. The ASTRA BvR missile is being developed by DRDO so why purchase the Meteor air to air missile?

3. In an interview to ToI, noted expert on nuclear weapons Hans M. Kristensen has said that the fear of Pakistani tactical nuclear weapons prevents INDIA from launching a full fledged military assault inside PoK. Any truth in these claims?

Thanks & Regards,

VIKRAM

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To VIKRAM GUHA: VMT. 1) The price-levels came down as the demands got reduced. For instance, basing the squadrons at 1 air base instead of 2 & doing away with a lot of MRO-related infrastructure reqmts. The Rafale was designed in such a way that ALL its on-board systems could be serviced at the air base itself & the aircraft was never reqd to leave its parent air base. It's all modular architecture. If anything fails, just exchange that module & send the defective module to the OEM. It is unlike anything the IAF has seen so far. 2) Meteor is ramjet-powered & possesses far greater engagement envelope than the still-under-development Astra. 3) He's totally wrong. I've already 'educated' the Govt of India's civilian component about it & have exorcised all such fears. For if Pakistan wants to use TNWs inside PoK, then so be it & it will be the last nail on the coffin of 'Kashmir Banega Pakistan' since Pakistan will end up as the only Muslim state to use nuclear WMDs against fellow Muslims.

To RAD: LoLz! What ToT? And why for radar? ToT will only be for product-support & not for an industrial manufacturing or developing anything new because there's nothing to be developed for the Rafale.

To FINANCEBLOGGER: Let them get rattled. Better still, let them attack first by unleashing their Al Khalids & Al Zarrars against Jammu & Pathankot. The IAF's EL/M-2060P SAR sensors will deny the PA all element of surprise & the Jaguar IS with CBU-105 SFWs will be more than happy to engage in turkey-shoots while the Su-30MKIs shoo away the F-16s & JF-17s & Mirage-3DAs & F-7PGs & what not.

To SETHZ & VED: It's all about mission avionics. The software-defined radios, IFF transponders, applications software in NSM mode for the MIDS data-link, TACAN, VOR/ILS receivers will all be HAL-built/-supplied just as is the case with Su-30MKIs, Jaguar IS/DARIN-3, upgraded Mirage 2000 & upgraded MiG-29UPG. HMDS will be Targo from HALBIT. Also the EMP-generating SAAW PGM co-developed by DRDO & RAFAEL.

To PRANAV: That refers to rotables & consumables like insulation coatings, washers, filters, connectors, lubricants, additives & wiring harnesses.

To UNKNOWN/KUNAL: No need to be hasty. Let the adversary sweat it out. Wait for next March onwards when the weather is optimum for a 90-day mountain warfare campaign.

To ARPIT KANODIA: There are 2 ways to look at it: 1) be just like the enemy & stoop to his level by engaging in cross-border terrorism, or 2) Wait for the opportune moment & strike hard & swiftly in the first quarter of next year to capture as much of PoK as possible. Don't forget that in London nowadays there are daily protest-marches by MQM there calling for independence & elsewhere in Europe 600,000 Baluch refugees are now converging to speak with 1 voice & are trying to win over Pashtun sympathy from both sides of the Durand Line.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

And here are 2 'desi' bandalbaazes spewing out outlandish fantasies about the Rafale procurement strategy!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-needs-more-than-Rafale-to-match-China-Experts/articleshow/54466421.cms

sbm said...

Will Rafael numbers reach the 189 envisaged originally ?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

It has to. There's no fall-back option or 2nd option.

sbm said...

I agree. Problem is does the GOI know this ? BTW, still want to get an idea - what extent has IAF hardened, shielded or otherwise protected assets from EMP ?

Millard Keyes said...

The report is erroneous: Rafale is NOT filling the Mig 21 vacuum - Tejas is. Follow up error from this is - Bandy 1's comment that one doesn't replace a small fighter with a monster like Rafale - which once again is wrong because of the aforesaid. Then the quote from Parriahkar, looks like BMW and Mercedes but we can't afford and yet what do you think leads his motorcade with him in it? These guys will sell their mother and sister for money in the name of journalism! Instead of screwing with other people's heads why don't they keep their own crappy journal and enter as many dodgy dreams they have and then call themselves journalists in the true sense of the word!

Anonymous said...

Hi Prasun,

Is this about the fish hook project?

http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2016/09/listening-to-ocean-india-starts.html



Best Regards
Raj

Anonymous said...

Hi Sir,

What if china intervene .I believe pakistan alone cannot be take these strategic decision.What it its china interest to keep kashmir boiling inticing india into foolish step so that it can attach india and open two fronts.Surely we cannot fight two wars !! at multiple fronts .We will stranded and bankrupt .Not to mention the loss of precious life.Cold hard analysis will reveal neither US or Russia would take sides and let the South Asis burn.with two leading economies with nuclear power in confrontation .Investors will run away and economy will crash.Moreover Western defence manufactures will be making billions out of war and economy going 10 20 years back.

Would appreciate your overall analysis on these aspects taking worse case senario into consideration and what actions we can take prevent that before taking any action

Regards
S Singh

saurav jha said...

What are your thoughts about a Baloch Govt in exile in Delhi with someone from Bugti tribe as head ? Will be beneficial for us ?

Anonymous said...

Sir, does the paki joint exercise with the Russians imply anything. Is Russia moving towards friendship with Pakistan. Did we fail diplomatically in stopping this exercise after Uri attack. Please give your comments.

Thanks in advance.
Sravanth

Anonymous said...

Prasun,

I wish the news media was of higher quality. Our leaders wouldn't corner themselves in. Stop thinking the world is with us. TV/news/Blog pundits would think 10 times before opening their mouths. TV and news pundits and others calling for war should be in the first line to attack pak. Let them show their patriotism with their own blood and not by someone else's (blood).

No one apart from the forces realise, that if we go to war, there will thousands of dead. And then what, another war in 5 years, another thousands of dead...and then what?

We must verify who, what, where the attackers came from before making any statements. Silence speaks volumes and shows maturity. With proof present the case. We need to grow as a people. Just read the statement from Kerry/Nawaz meeting. Russian SF just landed in Pakistan. Iran calling for a formal joining up with CPEC. Everyone is out for themselves.

Please remove any content that is deemed offensive.
Thank you,
Jat

Satya said...

Russian troops have reached Pakistan for joint military exercise. We supported them on Ukraine, they stabbed us in the back.

Millard Keyes said...

Prasun have a quick read of the Bandy 1's blog on the Rafale. He can't seem to workout whether it is his mouth or his rectum talking. He should have been dishonourably discharged and his rank Colonel should be replaced with Kernel - of idiocy that is! For the first time I am seething with anger at such blatant garbage.

shanti said...

an interesting article on USA/ China's position on Pakistan and Balouchistan. Things are moving for the 2018:

http://atimes.com/2016/09/s-asia-on-a-knife-edge-after-uri-raid/

Millard Keyes said...

Last time I saw or heard anything about DRDO's EMB AW&C aircraft was in 2014. Is it the one and only available? Is it operational yet? DRDO website says nothing about it nor do IAF. BTW don't forget to comment on the stealth bomber question. Oh just remembered: the wedge tail project - is it only available to US allies? The A-50 Phalcons India have look clumsy and also reliant on a Russian IL design instead of a more modern Boeing. What about Bombardier specialised plane option instead of the Embraer for AW&C....or is it once again meant to be Another Worthless and Clueless adventure of the GoGo Gadget Kings at DRDO?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To S SINGH: Watch & absorb the contents of this panel discussion: Military & Diplomatic Options For India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QdWJmfxSuM

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

Official Clarification from Russian Embassy in Delhi:

Contrary to some reports appearing in a section of the press, the Russia-Pakistan antiterror exercise is not being held and will not be held in any point of so-called “Azaad Kashmir” or in any other sensitive or problematic areas like Gilgit and Baltistan. The only venue of the exercise is Cherat. All reports alleging the drills taking place at the High Altitude Military School in Rattu are erroneous and mischievous.

Anonymous said...

@Prasun Da
What are the long term get strategic objectives of Saudi Arabia with respect to Muslim ummah. If it's state ideology is that of 'Salafism' why are not the Sauds replacing the kingdom of Saud with that of an Islamic Caliphate?

Interestingly both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan see themselves as the vanguard of Sunni Islam.

I am trying to understand if the kingdom of Saud harbours a long term goal of establishing a Caliphate.

Also how are the Saudi funded Salafization/Wahabism is to be seen? Apart from the obvious that it builds a cultural affinity and loyalty of the larger Muslims to Saudi Arabia and grants legitimacy to it's ambitions as the vanguard of Islam. Which again brings me to the question that why is it stopping short of an Islamic Caliphate?
-Abs

Anonymous said...

Why is Russia being the ally of India, not referring to G&B and Azad Kashmir as disputed territory?
-Abs

Arpit Kanodia said...

@Saurav Jha Are you the same Saurav Jha who was author of this book?
https://www.amazon.in/Upside-Down-Book-Nuclear-Power-ebook/dp/B008V8GCXM?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

rad said...

hi prasun
you talked about jags using SFW on tank formations. Dont u think it is risky ? because even if a jag is flying NOE profile to engage tanks it has to pop up to release sfw and that is where it will be vulnerable to shorads and air defence guns that move along withe the formations. This is especially true when there are awacs covering them .
Dont you thing a winged version of it will be more appropriate to allow for stand off delivery?
can the hammer missile take out HAS ? what is the nominal range of them ?It would very effective after the rafales have swatted out the f-16 with long range meteors.
thought the rafale i s a multi role ac , what role would the IAF use it?. IS there any effective ARM missile for the rafale apart from the old martel?.IS the alarm ARM in the shopping list ?. CAn you name the towed decoy that is used on the rafale.
OUr blog members should suggest a fitting DESI name for the rafale- !! i suggest BOOKAMBAM or earth quake!!!!!!

todaynews said...

INDIA-PAK के बीच तनाव कम करने के लिए मिलिट्री के बीच बातचीत जरूरी : US
Read More TodayNews18.com https://goo.gl/O9ZVQy

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