SOURCE: AFI
In a spirited defense of indigenous innovation, Indian defence analysts have thrown their weight behind the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-developed Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program, touting it as a triumph of modern engineering and a testament to India’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
The endorsement comes amid aggressive marketing by Airbus Helicopters, which is promoting its H125—a platform with roots tracing back to designs from the 1970s—as a contender for the Indian Army and Air Force’s helicopter requirements. With HAL’s LUH proving its mettle in record time, analysts argue that prioritizing a homegrown solution over a dated foreign alternative is a no-brainer for India’s military modernization.
The LUH, designed to replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, has emerged as a poster child for the Indian Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (IDDM) category under the Make in India initiative. Conceived in 2015, the helicopter achieved its first flight in September 2016 and has since scaled remarkable heights—literally and figuratively. By 2021, it completed high-altitude trials in the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield at over 20,000 feet, demonstrating its ability to operate in extreme conditions where its predecessors struggled.
Defence journalist Sandeep Unnithan, a prominent voice in the field, praised this rapid progress on X, stating, “No defence platform has gone from the drawing board to Siachen in just 5 years…it will be a pity if the @HALHQBLR Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) doesn’t get the bulk production orders it deserves. Indian Designed Developed & Manufactured (IDDM) all the way.” His sentiment reflects a broader consensus among analysts who see the LUH’s journey as a rare success story in India’s often protracted defense development timeline.
Powered by a single Shakti-1U engine (co-developed by HAL and France’s Safran), the LUH boasts a 3.12-tonne maximum takeoff weight, a 500 km range, and a service ceiling of 21,325 feet. Its modern glass cockpit, composite rotor blades, and ability to carry 1,000 kg of payload—including troops, casualties, or cargo—make it a versatile replacement for the 1960s-era Cheetah and Chetak fleet, which the Army and IAF have relied on for decades in rugged terrains like Ladakh and the Northeast.
In contrast, Airbus Helicopters has been aggressively pitching its H125 (formerly AS350 Écureuil) as an alternative under a potential government-to-government deal with France or a competitive tender. While the H125 is a proven platform—widely used globally for civilian and light military roles—its lineage dates back to the Aerospatiale AS350, first flown in 1974. Indian analysts have criticized Airbus’s push, arguing that the H125, despite upgrades, lacks the tailored innovation of the LUH and represents a step backward in an era of indigenous priority.
“Airbus is trying to sell us a 70s design with a fresh coat of paint,” remarked defence commentator Abhijit Pandey on X, echoing views that the H125’s single-engine configuration and dated airframe pale against the LUH’s purpose-built design for India’s high-altitude needs. The H125, while reliable with a 23,000-foot ceiling and 1,400 kg payload capacity, lacks the LUH’s integration with India’s defense ecosystem and the strategic autonomy that comes with domestic production.
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