Indian armed forces face major setback as more than 300 ALHs continue to remain grounded, disrupting critical operations

While the Indian armed forces are already struggling with the high crash rate and poor serviceability of their 350 obsolete single-engine Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, the military is now facing a serious setback due to the grounding of nearly 330 twin-engine `Dhruv’ advanced light helicopters (ALHs).

These helicopters have been out of service for over three months, severely affecting military operations and readiness, as reported by TOI's Rajat Pandit.

The multi-role ALHs are crucial for many military tasks, from carrying supplies to remote forward areas near the borders with China and Pakistan, to rescue missions and patrolling. A senior officer told TOI, “All have suffered major disruptions for over three months now. ALH pilots are also losing flying currency, and forced to make do with simulators.”

The Army, which operates the largest number of ALHs (over 180, including 60 weaponised Rudra versions), has been hit the hardest. The Indian Air Force has 75, the Navy 24, and the Coast Guard 19. These helicopters, made by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd ( HAL), have been in service since 2002 and are considered workhorses of the military. Last year alone, the Army’s ALHs flew nearly 40,000 hours.

The grounding began after a tragic crash on 5 January in Porbandar, where two Coast Guard pilots and an aircrew diver lost their lives. Since then, no ALHs have flown, adding to the already existing shortage of helicopters in the armed forces. As TOI's Rajat Pandit reported, the lack of serviceable choppers has become a serious concern.

The armed forces have said they need over 1,000 new helicopters in the next 10 to 15 years. This includes 484 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) and 419 Indian Multi-Role Helicopters (IMRH). But there have been long delays in these HAL-led projects.

Apart from that, the forces are also waiting for the delivery of 156 Prachand Light Combat Helicopters (90 for the Army, 66 for the IAF), which are part of a Rs 62,700 crore deal signed last month. These are scheduled to be delivered between 2028 and 2033.

Amidst all this, there is one small relief, the Army has hired private helicopters to help deliver supplies and transport troops in high-altitude border areas.

“The use of civil choppers was started by the Army’s Northern and Central Commands last Nov due to the huge shortage of helicopters. If that had not been done, it would have become extremely tough to supply troops deployed in forward locations after the grounding of ALHs,” an officer said.

This is the first time such outsourcing has been done. The Army signed contracts worth over Rs 70 crore with companies like Pawan Hans, Himalayan Heli Services, Global Vectra, and Thumby Aviation. Since mid-November, these choppers have flown over 1,500 hours, carrying nearly 900 tonnes of supplies to remote areas like Kargil, Gurez, Kishtwar, Garhwal and parts of Himachal Pradesh.

“They proved a boon for soldiers deployed in over 30 remote posts in high-altitude areas of the Himalayas in J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, especially after the ALH fleet was grounded. The Army plans to begin this soon in the eastern sector as well,” the officer added.

Using private helicopters for supply duties also helps preserve military helicopters for more critical roles during war or emergency situations.

But the ALHs need to be back in action soon. HAL is still trying to determine exactly what caused the “swashplate fracture” that led to the Porbandar crash. So far, similar material issues have been found in other ALHs too.

“ALHs have been grounded three-four times for safety checks after crashes in recent years. This time, the entire process should be thorough and transparent without any patchwork solutions. Precious lives and operational preparedness, after all, cannot be put at risk,” said an experienced military pilot.

Inputs from TOI