US-made Apache, Chinook to debut on Republic Day

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 13

A mix of US, Russian and indigenously produced aircrafts and helicopters will be part of the flypast during the Republic Day parade on January 26. 

US-made helicopters, the Chinook CH47 and Apache 64E, will make their debut at flypast, an annual event conducted to showcase military might.

Both copters—the heavy-lift Chinook and the attack-copter Apache—are made by US giant Boeing.

India has inducted US-made copters for the first time in more than 60 years.

Uptill now IAF was flying Soviet/Russian built copters—Mi26 for performing the heavy-lift role and Mi35/Mi25 in the attack role.

The supply of US-made cutting edge equipment had commenced in India in 2011.

The heavy-lift capability Chinook CH 47 was inducted at Chandigarh in April last year. It enhances all-weather, round-the-clock logistics capability, especially in mountains. With a payload capacity of 11 tonne or 45 troops, it provides a fillip to IAF's heavy-lift segment.

The Apache 64E attack copter was inducted in Pathankot in September last year.

It is the first attack helicopter from the US and by 2020, IAF will operate 22 of them. It will have significant capability in mountainous terrain up to an altitude of 21,000 ft besides the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges as well as operate in hostile airspace.

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