Hindustan Aeronautics has secured an INR80 billion ($1.2 billion) order for 32 Dhruv helicopters for use by the Indian navy and coast guard.
Each maritime arm will receive 16 examples of the 5.5t Dhruv, says HAL in a statement.
The order announcement follows the package’s approval by India’s Cabinet Committee on Security.
The package includes a performance based logistics (PBL) plan for the helicopters.
“The PBL is the purchase of logistics support as an integrated, affordable, performance package designed to optimize system readiness and meet performance goals for the product through long-term support arrangements with clear lines of authority and responsibility”, says HAL chairman Suvarna Raju.
“The PBL is emerging as a preferred acquisition strategy for defence acquisition and asset management.”
Flight Fleets Analyzer shows that there are 228 Dhruvs and related variants in service, primarily with India’s military. This includes 163 Dhruvs, 48 Dhruv Mk. IIIs, and 17 Rudra Mk. IV attack helicopters.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
