Amid push for modernisation, Army Aviation Corps gets Apache boost

The arrival of three AH-64 Apache attack helicopters into the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) on July 22 at Jodhpur will boost the offensive capability of the strike formations but it has also focused attention on the modernisation of the fleet.

Three more Apache gunships are expected to arrive later this year. The Army had raised its first Apache squadron in March last year and trained air crew and ground staff, but the delivery of the helicopters from the United States was delayed by 15 months.

The Indian Army had signed a Rs 5,691 crore deal with the US in 2020 for procuring six Apache attack helicopters, with delivery initially expected in mid-2024. These will form part of the No. 541 Army Aviation Squadron.

According to some reports, there is a possibility of another six Apaches being procured by the Army. The Indian Air Force already has 22 Apaches in its fleet, inducted from 2015 onwards.

Interestingly, pictures floating on social media show that the Army’s helicopters have been painted in a desert camouflage scheme with brown hues, which is distinct from the light ‘tipnis grey’ single colour scheme worn by the IAF.

The helicopters are being ferried to India onboard the civilian variant of the Russian-origin AN-124, the world’s heaviest cargo aircraft that can airlift 1,25,000 kg. The Antonov plant that manufactured these aircraft is located in Ukraine, and the aircraft are owned and operated by Antonov Airlines. The AN-124 has often been used to ferry helicopters and military equipment to India from Russia.

Manufactured by Boeing, the AH-64 is a heavily-armed, twin-engine ground attack helicopter that can carry a combination of air-to-ground missiles, rockets and a chin-mounted machine gun to engage tanks, vehicles, troop concentrations, communications and logistics centres, etc. They can also fire short-range air-to-air missiles like the Stinger.

Attack helicopters are generally integrated with mechanised formations and provide close air support during manoeuvre operations, neutralising enemy assets as well as carrying out recce and surveillance. They can also be employed for stand-alone attack missions.

At 39 years, the Army Aviation Corps is the Army’s youngest arm. It was raised as a separate entity in November 1986, even though the history of Army aviation in India goes back to 1942, when the Army Aviation Wing of the Royal Air Force was established in 1942, with No 656 Air Observation Post (OP) Squadron (RAF), the first Air OP unit reaching the Indian subcontinent in 1943 to assist operations in the Burma campaign.

The role of the ACC is multi-faceted. Besides attack and recce, it includes counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, airborne command posts combat search and rescue, casualty evacuation, airlift of troop and equipment, logistic support and disaster relief. Earlier, the Army’s aviation assets were part of the Regiment of Artillery.

The ACC operates a large and diverse fleet of about 335 attack and utility helicopters equipping two dozen squadrons and numerous flights, besides a number of various types of drones for attack, recce, surveillance and logistics. It no longer operates fixed wing aircraft, though plans have been lingering to induct light aircraft like the Dornier 228.

For attack, the Army already has the Rudra gunship as well as modified variants for the Cheetah and Chetak that are retrofitted with short range air to surface missiles, rockets and gun pods. The Army also depends on the IAF’s Apaches, Mi-25/35 and modified Chetaks and Mi-17s for close support. For light weight transport, troop carrying and logistics, the Army has the Dhruv, Cheetah and its upgraded version, the Cheetal, and Chetak, with the IAF meeting its requirements for ferrying heavy cargo.

Operating in varied terrain from coastal regions to deserts to high altitude, as well as in overseas missions and peacekeeping, the Corps, however, has been battling challenges of an ageing fleet, serviceability issues and slow pace of modernisation. Operational voids stemming from such issues can have serious implications.

The Army has, for years, been seeking a replacement for the Cheetah and Chetak light utility helicopters that date back to the 1960s. The indigenous Dhruv and its weaponised variant, Rudra, have been under the scanner for technical and structural integrity issues, with the fleet being grounded for extended periods. Plans for joint production of a light helicopter with Russia have been in the limbo.

The Army is expected to start phasing out the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters from 2027 onwards on the expiry of their total technical life, which has already undergone extensions. The Cheetah has been a crucial element in the Siachen operations due to its capability to operate at extreme altitude.

A Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) developed by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) — which has a capacity of six passengers and a service ceiling of 21,300 feet — is being projected as a replacement for the Cheetah and Chetak. The Army has placed orders for 12 LUH’s and the procurement of another 110 is planned.

Another 30 odd Dhruvs for utility duties, especially in the northern sector are also on order. Besides combat unmanned aerial systems, the growing number of logistics drones would also complement the rotor wing component for maintaining forward posts.

The Prachand attack helicopter, somewhat similar to the Apache in size and appearance, is another recent product from HAL. A few helicopters have been inducted in service with 90 more being on order and another 95 being planned.

To meet its urgent requirements for utility and recce helicopters in the face of slow procurement, the Army came up with a plan to lease at least 20 helicopters along with associated ground equipment from foreign countries, but despite requests for proposal being issued two years ago, there has been no visible progress on this front.

Defence experts say that given the challenges India faces on its northern and western borders as well as in the internal security domain, a greater impetus needs to be given on modernisation of the Army Aviation Corps and redress technical and serviceability issues affecting its fleet.

The rotor wing component is a critical operational element not only in combat and surveillance, but also for troop sustenance in remote areas. The requirements are large, requiring considerable financial resources, sound technical expertise and an expansive indigenous manufacturing capacity. Foreign collaborations for joint research and development as well as production can also be considered.

India