Chinook helicopters formally inducted at IAF''s Chandigarh base

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 25

The Indian Air Force on Monday inducted the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter that will significantly enhance its all-weather round the clock logistic capability, especially in the mountains, where maneuverability in close confines is an issue.

The Chinooks, manufactured by US aerospace major Boeing, will form part of the Chandigarh-based 126 Helicopter Unit, also known as the Featherweights, that has in its inventory the Soviet-origin Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters.

The IAF has received four out of the 15 helicopters. The machines, which had arrived to India by sea, were off-loaded at Mundra port in Gujarat in February and after being reassembled, flight tested and flown to Chandigarh by American crews, were formally handed over to the IAF. Part of the fleet will also be based at Dinjan in the north-east.

It is after a gap of 40 years that a US-built helicopter has donned the IAF colours.

From 1957 to 1979, fifteen American Bell 47G-2 light choppers, somewhat similar to the French-origin Cheetah that are still flown, were used.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, said: “Our country faces a multitude of security challenges and we require a vertical-airlift capability for a very diversified terrain. The Chinook will give the IAF a quantum leap to transport cargo to precarious high-altitude locations,” he said.

“We have procured the Chinook with certain India specific enhancements to increase the flexibility of the platform across the entire spectrum of heli-lift operations, including search and rescue operations and air ambulance,” Dhanoa said.

“The aircraft is all-weather capable and state-of-the-art night vision goggles will permit all operations even at night,” he added.

“Although we have been operating the medium lift Mi-17 and heavy lift Mi-26 helicopters, the Chinook, with its operating ceiling of 20,000 feet will redefine heli-lift not only in operations like inter-valley transport of troops, airlifting artillery guns and heavy under slung loads for the Border Roads Organisation, but also for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to far flung crisis hit areas,” he said.

Terming the Chinook to be a national asset, Dhanoa said the IAF’s expertise will enable it to exploit the machine’s potential in a manner that will make it a game changer in heli-lift operations.

Salil Gupte, India head of Boeing handed over the symbolic key of Chinook to the Air Chief, who in turn passed it on the local air force commanders.

Highlighting Boeing’s activities in the country and other projects associated with the air force, Gupte said that the Chinooks were delivered ahead of schedule.

The company had earlier supplied the C-17 heavy lift aircraft.

India had signed a deal with the US in September 2015 for 15 Chinook helicopters at a total cost of Rs 8,845 crore, with an option for another four machines.

The IAF had sent 15 pilots and 15 engineers to the US in 2018 for training on the Chinooks.

With a payload capacity of 11 tonnes or 45 troops, the Chinooks will provide a much-needed fillip to the IAF heavy-lift capability, a role earlier being fulfilled by Soviet origin Mi-26s.

The three Mi-26s with the IAF, which have double the payload capability of the Chinooks, are grounded for want of overhaul.

Stationed at chandigarh base

15 Chinook helicopters ordered by India from Boeing

4 copters delivered so far, attached to IAF Chandigarh unit

Rs 8,845 cr is the total cost of the 15 heavy-lift machines

11 tonne or 45 troops is the payload capacity of a Chinook

Dhanoa takes dig at Pak counterpart

Responding to a question on Pakistan's Air Chief Marshal MA Khan leading from the front by flying lead aircraft F-16 on their national day, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa quipped, “Pakistani air chief was strapped into the rear cockpit. Look from where he was flying.”