The helicopter lifted at 1210 hours and was in the air for 15 minutes inside the HAL complex. Engineers and technicians unanimously declared the flight to be flawless. The test pilots who had been conducting the flight on the new aircraft agreed with the outcome.

“This is the third indigenous helicopter product of HAL after the ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter) and LCH (Light Combat Helicopter). Apart from replacing the ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak, the LUH is expected to capture a sizeable share in domestic and international markets.”

HAL’s Chief Test Pilot for helicopters Wing Commander (retd) Unni Pillai and test pilot Anil Bhambhani flew the aircraft.

The choppers will be built at the new helicopter complex being set up in Tumakuru, around 70 kms outside Bengaluru.

With the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters ageing, the three Forces are said to need 200-400 of this class for surveillance, reconnaissance, quick response, special operations and evacuations.

They can also be used on the civil side for ferrying VVIPs, as air ambulance, for policing and to search, rescue and evacuate people.