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This is HAL's first contract for supplying Cheetal helicopters to the Indian Army. HAL initially had an order of supplying 10 Cheetal helicopters from the Indian Air Force.
Cheetal is the re-engined variant (developed as company funded programme) of the proven Cheetah helicopter being manufactured by HAL for over four decades. Cheetal helicopter is equipped with a Turbomeca TM 333-2M2 free turbine turboshaft engine which is more fuel efficient and provides higher payload capability of 90 kgs at an altitude of 6 kms.
Cheetal can operate at up to seven kms altitude and has a range of 640 kms with an endurance of 3.50 hours.
The Cheetal is fitted with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system for engine control and an Electronic Backup Control Box (EBCB) system which automatically takes over engine control in the event of FADEC failure.
It incorporates features of modern cockpit instruments like electrically driven artificial horizon, directional gyro, Flight monitoring system, Cockpit Voice Recorder and Master Flasher Warning System.
It is is a multirole chopper and is best suited for the missions such as personnel transport, casualty evacuation, reconnaissance and aerial survey, logistic air support, rescue operations and under slung loads (cargo).
