BENGALURU: Soon after inaugurating Aero India on Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh set the tempo that the air show means business. He took a walk through the stalls of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), taking in details of new technology and aircraft, including the Dhruv-(ALH)-NG, which made its maiden entry at the air show. HAL’s spokesperson told TNIE that so far the aircraft, meant for civil use, has not been utilised, but the Indian Air Force is keen on procuring it.
“They have shown interest to procure them, but we cannot divulge details till things are finalised,” the official said. This is the first time it is on display and seating capacity can be customised from 6 to 14.
Weighing 5,500kg, it has a maximum cruise speed of 250kmph and fuel tank capacity, it can also be used for heli-tourism with 9-14 seats, VIP travel, offshore operations, medical services including carrying stretchers, disaster and flood management, rescue and search operations and exploring and mining operations.
The new systems in Dhruv include passenger address system, passenger headset, area navigation system, terrain awareness warning system, traffic collision avoidance system, satellite flight following system and automatic dependent surveillance broadcast. The HAL spokesperson added that the Dhruv MK-3 has emergency flotation gear, a crashworthy structure, fuel tanks and life rafts.