Army Orders 20 Cheetal Copters From HAL

The Indian Army has concluded a $76-million deal with HAL for 20 Cheetal helicopters and associated equipment to be supplied over four years. This is the first contract for supply of Cheetal helicopters to the Indian Army. HAL is in the process of supplying an earlier order of 10 Cheetal copters to the IAF.

The Army appears to have overcome doubts about the platform. In 2006, I visited Leh where Army aviation pilots had told me the Cheetal platform didn’t appeal to them since HAL had replaced the copter’s engine, but not the transmission.

The Cheetal is a re-engined variant (developed as an HAL-funded programme) of the proven Alouette II/Cheetah helicopter that HAL has license-built for over four decades. The Cheetal is powered by a Turbomeca TM 333-2M2 free turbine turboshaft engine which, according to HAL, is more fuel efficient and provides higher payload capability of 90-kg at an altitude of 6-km. “The Cheetal helicopter can operate up to 7-km altitude and has a range of 640-km with an endurance of 3.5 hours. The Cheetal is fitted with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system for engine control and an Electronic Backup Control Box (EBCB) system which automatically takes over engine control in the event of FADEC failure,” says HAL in a statement.


Photos / HAL

10 thoughts on “Army Orders 20 Cheetal Copters From HAL”

  1. Its a welcome approach. Even if its an old model but still its proven & with new features. Hal needs to work out on the gear & communication system of older chetaks & chetans. This type of decisions surely motivate the concept of indigenisation.

  2. old wine new bottle no point it is an ancient airframe designed for Artousse Engine.

    Mark my words Shiv This is not a good deal at all .Let them buy off the shelf Fennec (AS 350 B3).

    We will pay the price with blood.Personally speaking not done at all !!!!!!!

  3. Incremental modernization is any day better than shamelessly buying even basic equipment. Let TATAs M&M, L&T compete rather than allow madam suck our blood till the last drop

  4. It has to be a rare out of the box thinking. It may be justified with the condition that they may not be used on war fronts but for the other urgent internal applications.

  5. The Alouette II was (and is) a great chopper!
    I'm sure it will be used for training and liaison duties, for which it is very appropriate (and cost effective).
    People should think twice before blindly criticizing. Seems like some people are always looking for the half-empty glass…relax guys!
    Greetings from Portugal!

  6. To all the critics. This platform still holds the rotorcraft flight altitude record. Helicopters like these are indispensable in areas like Siachen.

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