Army Aviation's Cheetah helicopter crashes in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh

An Army Aviation Cheetah helicopter on an operational sortie has crashed near Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Cheetah helicopter reportedly lost contact with the Air Traffic Control at around 09:15 AM. It is reported to have crashed near Mandala, West of Bomdila. 

According to Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, search parties have been launched.

The Cheetah helicopter is a light utility helicopter used by the Indian Army. It is a single-engine, four-bladed helicopter designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-owned aerospace company in India.

The Cheetah helicopter has been in service with the Indian Army since the 1970s and is primarily used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and casualty evacuation in high-altitude areas. It has a maximum speed of 180 km/h and can carry a crew of two along with five passengers.

In recent years, there have been concerns about the ageing fleet of Cheetah helicopters in the Indian Army and their limited capabilities in the face of increasing security challenges.

To note, the ageing fleet of Cheetah helicopters operated by the Services is to be replaced by the Light Utility Helicopter. The LUH is powered by a single turbo shaft engine Ardiden 1U from Safran Helicopter Engine (SHE), France, with adequate power margins to accomplish high-altitude missions in the Himalayas with ease. The LUH is equipped with Smart Cockpit Display System (Glass Cockpit), and state-of-the-art HUMS (Health & Usage Monitoring System) and is designed for various utility and armed roles. 

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• Army Aviation
• Arunachal Pradesh
• Bomdila
• Cheetah helicopter
• helicopter crash