The Indian Airforce Officially established on 8th October 1932 is among the most effective Air Forces of the World. The strength of any Air Force lies in their manpower and size of their fleet. As we all know Indian Airforce has a rich fleet size of around 1,724 with some of the best aircrafts. Among these aircrafts, Helicopters of Indian Airforce plays a major role in making the Indian Air Force more powerful.
From carrying the VIPs of India to rescuing the citizens from tragic spots the Helicopter of Indian Air Force has done it all. In this article we are going to provide you the list of Active Helicopters of Indian Air Force fleet.
HELICOPTERS OF INDIAN AIR FORCE
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HAL Cheetah :
HAL Cheetah is originally an Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama. It is a French-Indian single-engine helicopter developed for hot and high air density operations of Indian Air Force.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 1 Pilot |
| Capacity | 4 passengers |
| Length | 10.24 m |
| Maximum Speed | 192km/h |
| Range | 515 km |
The Cheetah helicopter fleet has been the backbone in SAR, Casualty Evacuation and RTR (Route Transport Role) role in the IAF
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HAL Chetak :
Originally the Aerospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light, multi-purpose helicopter capable of fulfilling many different roles developed by French aircraft company.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 2 Pilot |
| Capacity | 5 passengers |
| Length | 10.03 m |
| Maximum Speed | 210km/h |
| Range | 540 km |
In military operations it is used to perform missions such as aerial observation, photography, air-sea rescue, liaison, transport and training.
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HAL Dhruv :
Just like HAL Chetak, HAL Dhruv too is a utility helicopter i.e. multi-purpose helicopter capable of fulfilling many different roles manufactured by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 2 Pilots |
| Capacity | 12-14 Passangers |
| Length | 15.87 m |
| Cruise Speed | 250 km/h |
| Range | 630 km |
It is also used by the Sarang Helicopter Display Team, apart from SAR, Cas Evac, and RTR operations. There’s also an attack variant of the HAL Dhruv called HAL Rudra.
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Mil MI-17 V5 :
Mi-17V-5 is a military transport variant in the Mi-8/17 family of helicopters. It is produced by Kazan Helicopters which is a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. It is a is a twin-turbine transport helicopter used by the IAF to transport the Prime Minister of India domestically.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 2 Pilots, 1 Engineer |
| Capacity | 24 troops / 12 stretchers |
| Flying Altitude | Max. 6000 m |
| Maximum Speed | 250 km/h |
| Standard Range | 580 km extended up to 1,065 km |
Designed to transport cargo inside the cabin and on an external sling, the Mi-17V-5 is one of the world’s most advanced helicopters.
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Mil MI-25/MI-35 (Hind E) :
The Mi-35M is a multi-role combat helicopter manufactured by Rostvertol, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. It is the attack helicopter used to guard India before the arrival of Apache helicopters.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 2 Pilots |
| Combat Load | Max. 1480 kg |
| Length | 16.78 m |
| Maximum Speed | 324 km/h |
| Flight Range | 480 km |
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Mil MI-26 :
It is a Russian/Soviet heavy transport helicopter. Without a doubt it is called as the pride of Indian Air Force as it is the largest and most powerful helicopter gone into a mass production.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 5 (2 pilots, 1 navigator, 1 flight engineer, 1 flight technician) |
| Capacity | 90 troops or 60 stretchers
20,000 kg cargo |
| Length | 40.025 m |
| Maximum Speed | 295 km/h |
| Range | 800 km |
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Boeing Chinook:
An American twin-engine, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter Boeing CH-47 Chinook is developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol. For Indian Air Force Chinooks will boost the nation’s heavy heavy-lift capability.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | three (pilot, copilot, flight engineer or loadmaster) |
| Capacity | 33–55 troops |
| Length | 30.1 m |
| Maximum Speed | 315 km/h |
| Range | 741 km |
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Boeing Apache AH-64E:
The AH-64 Apache is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter. With the induction of Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters, the Attack Helicopter fleet of IAF got a major boost. It is known for its greater thrust and lift, joint digital operability, improved survivability, and cognitive decision aiding.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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| Crew | 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner) |
| Armaments | Guns, Hard points, Rockets, Missiles |
| Length | 17.73 m |
| Maximum Speed | 293 km/h |
| Range | 476 km |
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