Atmanirbhar Bharat: Defence Secretary inducts 3 ALH Mk-III choppers into Coast Guard
The helicopters will be deployed in Bhubaneswar, Porbandar, Chennai and Kochi and will be part of different Coast Guard Aviation Squadrons.
FollowBengaluru: In a major boost to Make in India initiative and to ALH Mk-III indigenous programme, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar on Saturday inducted three Advanced Light Helicopter (ALHs) manufactured by HAL into the stables of Indian Coast Guard.
The helicopters will be deployed in Bhubaneswar, Porbandar, Chennai and Kochi and will be part of different Coast Guard Aviation Squadrons.
Speaking on the occasion Kumar said, “The state of the art Helicopters with advanced sensors will enable ICG to take up challenging tasks. This is for the first time Performance Based Logistics is being introduced in Indian Aviation sector which is a modern management practice and will increase operational and maintenance efficiency.”
The sophisticated helicopters being handed over today will be a game changer for the operational capability of ICG in the times to come, the defence secretary said.
These helicopters are equipped with state of the art equipment like Surveillance Radar, Electro Optic Pod, Medical Intensive Care Unit, High Intensity Search Light, SAR Homer, Loud Hailer, Machine Gun and can perform other key roles.
The induction ceremony was organised in virtual format at the ICG Headquarters in Delhi and at Helicopter MRO Division of HAL in Bengaluru.
ICG chief K Natarajan said that the ICG has been a torch bearer in promoting and inducting indigenous products since formative years of the service.
“Induction of ALH MK III is a testimony to the ICG's commitment towards ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’,” he said.
These helicopters will usher a paradigm shift in the capability in ship borne operations and enhance coastal surveillance. Indian Coast Guard is also the first service to have Performance Based Logistics (PBL) management system introduced in aviation to ensure Helicopter Availability at four bases, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, HAL CMD R Madhavan said with this contract, HAL is embarking on a new journey of Performance Based Logistics (PBL).
The PBL will assure desired levels of availability of ALH MKIII fleet of ICG for six and half years, a unique feature of this contract and a first of its kind in HAL.
