Helicopters

Indian Navy commissioned its first squadron of MH-60R Seahawk multi-role helicopters in March

The Biden Administration on Monday notified the Congress of its decision to approve the sale of MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter Equipment and related ones at an estimated cost of USD1.17 billion. The proposed sale will improve India's capability to deter current and future threats by upgrading its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a notification to the Congress. The Biden administration's approval of sale of major defense equipment to India comes weeks ahead of its completion of its four-year term. President-elect Donald Trump would be sworn in as 47th president of the United States of America on January 20, 2025. According to the notification, India has requested to buy 30 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS). It also included advanced data transfer systems; external fuel tanks; AN/AAS 44C(V) forward looking infrared (FLIR) systems; an operator machine interface assistant; spare

The body of a missing Indian Coast Guard pilot has been recovered over a month after a helicopter belonging to the maritime security agency crashed into the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, officials said on Friday. Three crew members went missing after the ALH MK-III helicopter fell into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on September 2. While the bodies of two crew members were recovered subsequently, a search continued to trace Rakesh Kumar Rana, the pilot in command of the mission. Rana's body was recovered from the sea, nearly 55 km southwest of Porbandar, on October 10, the Coast Guard said in a release. ICG (Coast Guard) along with the Indian Navy and other stakeholders continued unrelenting search efforts to locate Commandant Rakesh Kumar Rana, who was the Pilot in Command of the mission. His mortal remains will be cremated as per service traditions and honour. A warm salute to the three brave souls from Rank and File of the Indian Coast Guard who laid down their lives in the line

Rescuers have located a helicopter that went missing in Russia's far east with 22 people on board, officials said Sunday. Russia's emergencies ministry said the bodies of 17 people have been found and that rescuers were continuing to search for the remaining occupants. All those on board are presumed to have died, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said, citing the Emergencies Ministry, adding that the helicopter had likely crashed due to poor visibility in bad weather conditions. The wreckage of the previously missing helicopter was discovered from the air. It is located at an altitude of 900 metres near the place where it was last contacted, the emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram. The Mi-8 helicopter took off close to the Vachkazhets volcano in the Kamchatka region on Saturday but did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency earlier said in a statement. It said it believed that 19 passengers and three crew members were on board. T

A man died after an unauthorised helicopter flight in Queensland, Australia ended in a crash on a hotel roof early Monday morning, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building as flames engulfed the aircraft. Authorities in the city of Cairns said that they had not confirmed the identity of the pilot, his reason for making the flight or how the tourist helicopter was able to take off from Cairns Airport. A couple staying at the hotel was hospitalised suffering from smoke inhalation and have now been discharged, Queensland Police Service Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes told reporters. No one else on the ground was hurt. Holmes said it was not known if the man flying the helicopter held a pilot's license or if he worked for the company that owned the craft, Nautilus Aviation. There is no further threat to the community, and we believe this is an isolated incident, Holmes said. Nautilus Aviation said in an unattributed written statement that the flight wa

Expanding the helicopter industry presents a significant opportunity and the government is set to advance towards manufacturing helicopters, Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said on Friday. India is poised for a significant transformation in its aviation sector with the introduction of the Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill, 2024, he said. The Bill was moved for passage in the Lok Sabha on Friday. It promises to enhance the country's aviation capabilities, including helicopter manufacturing and the introduction of seaplanes. In a speech delivered while introducing the Bill, the minister highlighted the potential for growth in India's helicopter industry, noting that the country operated just 250 helicopters at present. "This is a great opportunity to tap into. We are going to manufacture helicopters and the state-of-design element in the Bill will improve the establishment of manufacturing plants and designs," he said. The minister expressed confidence that once the .

Airbus Helicopters and Tata Advanced Systems have made great progress in determining the FAL's location, which will be announced shortly

Iranians voted on Friday to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a May helicopter crash in the country's northwest along with the foreign minister and several other officials. Analysts broadly described the race as a three-way contest. There are two hard-liners, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Then there's the reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, who has aligned himself with those seeking a return to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. After record-low turnout in recent elections, it remains unclear how many Iranians will take part in Friday's poll. While 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, presidents can bend Iran toward confrontation or negotiations with the West. Currently: As Iran's presidential vote looms, tensions boil over regarding a renewed headscarf crackdown. An analysis explores how no matter who wins Iran's election, much may

India's top oil and gas producer ONGC has slashed helicopter sorties to its installations in the middle of sea on both east and west coast for three months to avoid any repeat of deadly accidents during monsoon that have plagued the firm's otherwise impeccable record, sources said. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has raised the duration of work-related stay of its employees at offshore platforms that help produce oil and gas from below seabed, from 14 days to 21 days but still short of the international norm of 28 days. This temporary measure is only for three months from June to August and has been effected with a view to cut the number of sorties helicopters would need to undertake to ferry men and material to the installations, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. ONGC did not reply to an email seeking to know why it is following a 21-day cycle when internationally 28-day cycle is followed. Internationally, personnel manning offshore oil and gas installations ar

Iran opened a five-day registration period Thursday for hopefuls wanting to run in the June 28 presidential election to replace the late Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier this month with seven others. The election comes as Iran grapples with the aftermath of the May 19 crash, as well as heightened tensions between Tehran and the United States, and protests including those over the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini that have swept the country. While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, maintains final say over all matters of state, presidents in the past have bent the Islamic Republic of Iran toward greater interaction or increased hostility with the West. The five-day period will see those between the ages of 40 to 75 with at least a master's degree register as potential candidates. All candidates ultimately must be approved by Iran's 12-member Guardian Council, a panel of clerics and jurists ultimately overseen by Khamenei. That panel has never accepted a ..

Bullish on the Indian market which is "ready for expansion", Universal Vulkaan Aviation on Wednesday said it will bring 30 Leonardo helicopters into the country over the next three years. Universal Vulkaan Aviation Pte Ltd (UVA) is the distributor in India for Italy-based Leonardo Helicopters. The company, which is based in New Delhi, will bring a total of 30 helicopters -- 16 new and 14 from the pre-owned market -- over the next three years. "After signing the pre-sales contract for 5 units of AW09 machines in January 2024, UVA has ordered 11 units from types AW109 Trekker, AW139, AW169, from the Leonardo Helicopters... This is in addition to the 14 helicopters that were purchased by the Vulkaan Group from the pre-owned market, which include the AW 119Kx and AW 109 Trekker," a release said. The models have seating capacities varying from 5 to 15. Karan Sethi, Sales Director at UVA, told PTI that the current Indian market is ready for expansion, and its product portfolio in both .

A helicopter with seven people, including pilgrims, on board made an emergency landing in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath after developing a technical snag early on Friday. The helicopter landed a few metres from the helipad at the Himalayan temple, an official said. It was carrying seven people, including six pilgrims and the pilot. Everyone is safe, he said. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said the helicopter took off from the Sirsi helipad for Kedarnath early on Friday. It developed a technical snag in its rear motor, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing a few metres from the helipad in Kedarnath, he said citing preliminary reports. The pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision, averting a major mishap, Gaharwar said. Everyone is safe and the pilgrims have even returned after having "darshan" at the temple, he added. The incident occurred around 7 am and further investigations are underway, Gaharwar said.

Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board, the navy said. The helicopters were rehearsing at a naval base in northern Perak state for the navy's 90th anniversary celebration next month when the accident occurred, the navy said in a brief statement. All victims were confirmed dead on site," it said, adding that the remains have been sent to the hospital to be identified. Seven crew members were aboard the AW139 maritime operation helicopter, the navy said. That aircraft is produced by AgustaWestland, which is a subsidiary of the Italian defence contractor Leonardo. Three other crew members were on a Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus. Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex at the naval base, while the Fennec hit a nearby swimming pool. The navy said it will launch an investigation to determine what caused the

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crewmembers were believed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during a night-time training exercise, and rescuers were searching for the missing, Japan's defense minister said. The two SH-60K choppers belonging to the Maritime Self Defense Force and carrying four crew each, lost contact late Saturday near Torishima island in the Pacific about 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters. One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown. Officials were still searching for the other seven. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Kihara said, adding that officials are prioritizing the rescue operation. The MSDF deployed eight warships and five aircraft for the search and rescue of the missing crew. They recovered fragments believed to be from one of the SH-60Ks, Kihara said. We believe the helicopters have crashed, he said.

The company signed an export contract with Guyana Defence Forces for supply of two Hindustan228 aircrafts which were delivered within a month of singing the contract

The first batch of Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives manning a helicopter gifted by India have departed from the island nation after handing over the operations of the chopper to an Indian civilian crew, the Maldivian media reported on Monday. A media official for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) told the media here that approximately 25 Indian soldiers who were stationed in Addu city are now back in India after handing over the operations of a helicopter to an Indian civil crew. There was no immediate confirmation from India's defence ministry on the withdrawal of the first batch of Indian military personnel from the Maldives as reported by the media here. The MNDF official confirmed that, as agreed, the Indian military troops left the country ahead of March 10. The helicopters will, from now on, be operated by civilian experts from India who have been transferred to the Maldives for the purpose, the Editon.mv news portal reported. The official further

As political parties prepare to fight it out in the Lok Sabha polls, the demand for chartered planes and helicopters is expected to jump by up to 40 per cent compared to the previous general elections, according to industry experts. Helicopters are anticipated to be more in demand compared to fixed-wing aircraft as choppers will help in providing accessibility to rural and remote areas in a shorter time. "There will be an exponential demand for private jets and the demand is expected to outstrip the availability of chartered planes and helicopters. There is a limited supply of chartered planes and helicopters," Club One Air CEO Rajan Mehra told PTI. With increased demand, some players will be taking chartered planes and helicopters on lease during the general elections for which the dates are expected to be announced in the coming days. Chartered plane and helicopter services are charged on an hourly basis. The industry experts opined that the prices can vary between Rs 4.5 lakh t

The Indian Navy will commission on Wednesday in Kochi its newly-inducted MH 60R Seahawk multi-role choppers that it said would mark a "pivotal moment" in India's defence modernisation journey. The commissioning of the helicopters in the INAS 334 squadron is expected to significantly enhance the Navy's operational capability in the Indian Ocean region which has been witnessing increasing Chinese military forays. The US-manufactured MH 60R Seahawk is a maritime variant of the Blackhawk helicopter. The helicopter is designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and medical evacuation among other operations. "The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the Seahawks ideal for the Indian Navy's maritime security needs, offering enhanced capabilities for both conventional as well as asymmetric threats," the Navy said on Sunday. The Seahawks squadron will be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INAS 334. India signed an agreement with the US for ...

India's first Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) will be started from Uttarakhand, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said. "I want to inform the people of Uttarakhand that the country's first HEMS service will be launched from the state," Scindia said in a video shared on X. A helicopter will be stationed under the service at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from where it will be sent anywhere within a radius of 150 km to airlift anyone who has met with an accident to the medical facility. "Assembly and certification of the helicopter to be deployed for the purpose is underway. It is on my dashboard. It is entirely my concern now not yours," he said.