India’s homemade light combat helicopter makes maiden flight; chopper has desi control system

Indian security agencies will soon have a light combat helicopter made and designed in India. State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Wednesday said that its pilots have successfully flown the home-made 5.8-tonne Light Combat Helicopter.

HAL in a statement said, “The 20-minute maiden flight of the multirole copter was flawless with all flight control system working throughout."

The combat helicopter was tested by HAL Chief Test Pilot Wing Commander Unni K Pillai (retired) and Test Pilot Group Captain Rajesh Verma (retired). The chopper took its maiden flight from the defence airport in the Bangalore’s eastern suburb.

HAL in its statement also said that representatives of certification agencies and company officials were present during the maiden flight of the home made designed combat helicopter.

The combat chopper’s display system and the integrated architecture display system has been designed by HAL with collaboration of an Indian private industry.

The home-made and designed chopper is powered by two Shakti engines and has many features of the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv.