The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) and single-engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will not be part of the upcoming Republic Day flypast.
ALH-Dhruv, produced by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is a multi-role, multi-mission new-generation helicopter in the 5.5 ton weight class. The Army, the Indian Air Force, the Navy and the Coast Guard operate around 330 ALHs.
Manufactured by the HAL, the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.
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According to an IAF official, the Republic Day flypast will feature 22 fighter jets, 11 transport planes, seven helicopters, and three Dornier surveillance aircraft. A Rafale fighter jet will also be part of the flypast.
The entire fleet of ALH-Dhruv military choppers has been grounded following a crash of one of them this month, while IAF has stopped flying single-engine Tejas aircraft at the Republic Day parade.
The ALH-Dhruv will not be part of the Republic Day flypast over Kartavya Path on January 26, an IAF official told reporters.
A Coast Guard ALH crashed at Gujarat's Porbandar on January 5 following which the armed forces grounded the entire fleet of the twin-engine choppers. The choppers are likely to remain grounded till a high-level probe panel finds the root cause of the crash that killed two Coast Guard pilots and an aircrew diver.
In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. In November, the ministry accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF.