NEW DELHI: One of the newly acquired Apache attack helicopters of the Indian Air Force has made an emergency landing in Budhawar village in Hoshiarpur in Punjab.
The helicopter took off from Pathankot Air Base and after around an hour of flying had indications of a critical failure. The captain of the aircraft took prompt action to carry out the emergency landing.
The crew members and chopper are safe and there has been no damage on the ground either.
Eight Apache AH-64E (I) helicopters were inducted at the Pathankot Air Base in September 2019 and a new 125 Squadron called the 'Gladiators' was raised.
India had signed a deal for 22 attack helicopters in September 2015. Later, the purchase of six more helcopters for the Army was approved.
All 22 helicopters costing $1.1 billion and manufactured by American company Boeing are to be delivered by the end of this year.