Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is holding parleys with Malaysia and Trinidad & Tobago for the sale of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The developing countries have evinced interest in the chopper, attracted by its highly competitive price and multiperformance capabilities.
The ALH will enter its batch production phase by the third quarter of this year for a first order of five choppers for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The helicopter has completed its flight test programme for air force applications and will come fitted with a Turbomeca TM33B engine.
The two countries have shown interest in both the civilian and military versions of the ALH and may soon send their teams to evaluate the choppers, sources said.
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Though progress has been slow as regards to the ALHs flight test phase, its test programme is progressing satisfactorily and nearing the end on quite a few parameters.
The sources said if the serious inquiries convert themselves into sales, HAL might start fulfilling its export orders along with the initial orders for the Indian defence forces.
The company is expecting to hit a production figure of 50 choppers per year by 2000 AD. It already has an order book of some 400 choppers from the Air Force, Army and Navy. In addition, a civilian version is being developed for which there are no firm orders but a good market is expected from the tourism, oil exploration and other industries.
HAL is benchmarking its chopper as the cheapest in its class at under $4 million. It can seat 12 passengers plus carry cargo in the civilian version and carry a variety of armaments and radars in its various military roles.
A special naval version of the chopper comes equipped with a powerful engine, carries a full complement of air-to-ground missiles, machine gun, sonar buoys and floatation gear, and will be cheaper than many old Western and Russian upgraded machines.
The HAL stall at the Paris Air show last month received several inquiries on the chopper and visitors from third world countries were particularly impressed with the multifeatured machine, the sources said. In the past, HAL has sold its Cheetak helicopters to Namibia at a cost of under $3 million.
HAL wants to use its huge Indian order of 400 machines to set up a first class assembly-line and build an export base. It intends to tap fellow third world countries as a supplier of affordable choppers with inexpensive spares and service support.