BY : IANS

The indigenous Dhruv advanced light helicopter received a thumbs-up from the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday with its chief, Air Marshal Fali Homi Major, flying what he termed as a "beautiful machine".

The helicopter Major flew in the co-pilot's seat was the newly developed armed version that is fitted with the new and more powerful Shakti engine that Indian and French engineers have jointly developed.

"It's a great feeling to fly a beautiful machine," Major said after the 20-minute flight that was commanded by Wing Commander (retd) Unni Pillai, deputy chief test pilot of Dhruv developer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

"The flight saw the air chief taking keen interest in the sophisticated electronic digital control systems and other onboard equipment tailor-made for various missions," a HAL release said.

The armed Dhruv powered by the Shakti engine first flew August 17, 2007.

HAL and Turbomeca of France have co-developed the 1,000-HP engine. It will enable the helicopter to operate at high altitudes and in adverse desert conditions. The engine has an indigenous content of 20 per cent and this will gradually rise to 80 per cent.

"Shakti's higher power will enable a whopping 150 per cent increase in payload capability at high altitudes (of 5.5-6.5 km) and operation in harsh terrain," HAL chairman Ashok Baweja pointed out.

Some 70 Dhruvs are currently flying and are powered by 800-HP Turbomeca engines.

Designed for multi-mission, multi-role operations, the armed Dhruv provides flexibility to meet the stringent requirements of the army and the air force.

It features a new glass cockpit with the latest avionics and weapon systems. Four flat multi-functional colour displays on the dashboard provide all the information pilots require during an operation.

A modern electronic warfare suite comprising a radar warning receiver, a laser warning receiver and missile approach warning system would be able to detect a missile even as it was launched towards the copter and trigger countermeasures to deceive and deflect it.

"The fast detection and assessment of the threat and quick response by the launch of decoys to deflect the missile will make the difference between survival and death," Baweja pointed out.

The IAF variant will be equipped with "fire and forget" air-to-air missiles that can be launched in both the visual range and beyond visual range modes. The helicopter's 20 mm turret gun can be linked either to an electro-optical system or the pilot's helmet pointing system.

As part of certification process, the Shakti-powered Dhruv will be test flown in Bangalore and at sea level. It will also be flown at high altitude in the Himalayas and in the hot deserts of Rajasthan.

HAL estimates the market potential for the higher-powered Dhruv at about 300 copters in the next five years, with the armed forces and the coast guard accounting for the lion's share of 200-250, with utility providers and government organisations buying the rest.

The average price of Dhruv is Rs 35 crore ($8.5 million) in the Indian market and $1-1.5 million less than any other copter's price in its class (5.5-5.8 tonnes) in the international market, HAL says.