The third squadron of Indian-built Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mark III was commissioned by the Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday at Porbandar, Gujarat. According to the news agency ANI, ICG director-general VS Pathania gave the helicopters their official commission.
According to Coast Guard personnel who spoke to ANI, the helicopters could perform both offensive and reconnaissance tasks because of their 12.7 mm heavy machine guns’ 1,800 metre maximum effective range. As the Alh Dhruv Mark III is entirely produced in India by Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, its introduction strengthens the Coast Guard’s maritime surveillance and recon capabilities as well as the nation’s “aatmanirbhar defence” ideology (HAL).
The Coast Guard’s second ALH Dhruv Mark III squadron was commissioned in Kerala in May. According to news agency PTI, four of these helicopters are now stationed at Kochi in the southern state, covering the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka, and the Lakshadweep islands.
The ALH Dhruv is described as a “indigenously designed and developed… twin engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter” in a notice on HAL’s website.
The Mark III has an electronic warfare suite and countermeasure system, among other things, and is intended for “utility tasks in defence services suitable for high-altitude missions.”
The “armed variant for attack, close-air support, and high altitude operations” is equipped with turret guns, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, helmet-pointing devices, infrared jammers, data links, and obstacle avoidance systems, among other weapon systems and mission sensors.
In addition, the helicopters are equipped with strong Shakti engines, a full glass cockpit, high-intensity searchlights, a transportable medical intensive care unit (MICU), and high-intensity searchlights for use in search-and-rescue operations at sea.
Rajnath Singh, the minister of defence, highlighted the military’s “aatmanirbhar” campaign’s success this week by tweeting: “The purchase of goods made in India will account for 68% of procurement. We have made arrangements to solely purchase 25% from private enterprises in this as well “nies…”
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