India to transfer Mi-35 attack helicopters to Afghanistan?

LCH performance trials have involved development testing at Bangalore, and also under extreme environmental conditions such as cold weather trials at Leh, hot weather at Jodhpur and ‘hot and high’ tests at Leh ( see Vayu V/2015). With these tests complete, the helicopter can be cleared for weapon trials, after which HAL can commence production of the LCH. “LCH is the only attack helicopter which can operate above 10,000-12,000 feet altitude with considerable load of armament,” observed T Suvarana Raju, CMD HAL.

According to reports in New Delhi, Afghanistan is “poised to acquire” four Mi-35 attack helicopters from India to fight the growing Taliban insurgency. The reports presume that necessary

Since commencing operations with the IAF, the PC-7 Mk.II fleet “has flown more than 40,000 hours and accumulated well over 80,000 landings,” while the reliability of the platform versus legacy types has allowed the IAF to “increase the basic training syllabus in terms of flight hours by 220 per cent, and also increase the solo flying content from 1 to 14 sorties.” Under an option clause that was part of the original contract, the IAF is likely to order another 38 PC-7Mk.IIs, at a price estimated to be around Rs 1,550 crore. Although the defence ministry has already cleared this purchase, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will need to give formal sanction.

194 Pipistrel aircraft to IAF, IN and NCC

Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel will equip the Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Navy (IN) and National Cadet Corps (NCC) with a modern, carbon-fibre microlight aircraft, the Virus SW 80 ‘Garud,’ which was selected as the winning bidder in