NEW DELHI: The Indian Military and Air Drive variants of the Superior Mild Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv have been cleared for operations following an in depth investigation into current security issues, Hindustan Aeronautics Restricted (HAL) mentioned in an announcement on Wednesday.
The clearance comes after suggestions made by a Defect Investigation (DI) Committee, with a time-bound plan for phased resumption of operations already in place in coordination with the providers.
This announcement follows weeks of grounding of over 330 ALH Dhruvs after a crash in Porbandar on January 5, which considerably impacted operational readiness throughout the armed forces. The incident prompted scrutiny of the indigenous 5.5-tonne helicopter, designed and manufactured by HAL.
Earlier this month, on April 11, HAL issued a sharply worded rebuttal to criticism from sections of the navy, retired officers, defence commentators, and analysts, accusing them of pushing “malicious” and “speculative” narratives. “These tales are written with out providing HAL’s perspective, and arguments are one-sided and biased,” the general public sector aerospace main had mentioned.
Defending the integrity of its platforms and its collaboration with the armed forces, HAL added, “HAL wish to reiterate it’s working with all its clients together with the IAF and is assured of dealing with the important points which can be innate to the defence aeronautics and complicated flying platforms.”
The backlash in opposition to HAL got here not solely from media circles but in addition from former navy personnel. Amongst them was retired naval aviator and check pilot Commander Okay P Sanjeev Kumar, who known as for larger transparency in addressing flight security issues. “The pursuits of your stakeholders are greatest served in the event you welcome criticism, work with larger transparency, cease taking pictures messengers and hallucinating about malafide intent. Your worst critic isn’t your enemy; simply as a sycophant isn’t your greatest pal,” he mentioned.
HAL has additionally been underneath strain over delays within the manufacturing of the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets, additional intensifying scrutiny over the PSU’s efficiency in delivering important defence platforms on schedule.