New Delhi: India is set to begin phasing out its ageing Cheetah/Chetak helicopter fleet with Army Aviation looking to purchase around 80 light utility helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru, in the first batch, besides exploring the options of leasing a few from a private vendor.
The Cheetah/Chetak fleet that serves the forces across landscapes, from icy heights of the Siachen glacier to the Thar desert, is on the last leg of a six decades-long journey in Indian armed forces.
“The phasing out will start in another 3-4 years when their technical life will be over. By then the LUH should be ready,” said a senior official. It will take about 10-12 years to replace the entire fleet.
