Successful ‘hot and high’ trials for HAL LCH
TP drones will be operated by the Indian Air Force, which already operates a fleet of reconnaissance drones. The IAF also has a number of Harpy UAVs from Israel, which are self-destructing systems primarily utilised in the SEAD role. Heron drones can carry a payload of over 1,000 kg and will be equipped with air-to-ground missiles that detect, track and strike targets deep in enemy territory. Defence ministry officials stated that the Heron TP may enter service within a year. In addition, IAI offocials are reportedly in talks to build the drones locally under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Indian armed forces already operate unarmed Heron and Searcher UAVs for surveillance and intelligence gathering. An indigenous medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation is several years away from induction, and adding weapons to this platform will take even more time which would explain the decisive action taken on procurement of the Israeli platform.
Flight Testing of FGFA by the IAF
Hot and the high’ flight trials for HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter ( LCH) were successfully completed at Leh during September 2015. Cold-weather trials had earlier been completed in February 2015. The flight trials at Leh established hover performance and low speed handling characteristics of the helicopter under extreme weather conditions at varying altitudes (3,200 to 4,800 metres). These were carried out with the third LCH prototype (TD3), with temperatures ranging from 13 to 27°C, and included participation of pilots from the Air Force and Army, along with representatives from CEMILAC and DGAQA. The various tests, including assessment and validation of the flight envelope in ‘hot and high’ conditions, culminated in landing at forward bases at geographic elevations of 13,600 feet to 15,800 feet. The LCH also proved its ability to land and take off at forward bases making this the first attack helicopter to operate from the Siachen Glacier area. These operations were demonstrated with realistic weapon and fuel loads.