Chile keen to buy HAL’s Dhruv helicopters

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New Delhi, May 25: Next month, state owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be submitting its response to Chile’s Request for Proposal (RFP) for the indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) ‘Dhruv’.

According to HAL officials, “We have received the request for proposal (RFP) from the Chilean Air Force for the 5.5 tonne, twin engined new generation helicopter which is currently in service in the country’s armed forces.”

While HAL would be reponding to the RFP for for 4-6 machines for Chile, it will shortly be singing a contract with Bolivia for 2 Dhruvs. Also, another South American country, Peru has envisaged its interest in the ‘Dhruv’.

“The requirement of helicopters by the Chilean Air Force was much more, but they would be going in for heavier class of choppers for which BELL and Eurocopter were in the race,”says HAL Director (Corporate Planning and Marketing) M Fakruddin.

HAL had been for some years now demonstrating ALH in the terrains of Chile which was similar to India.

The RFP comes in the wake of HAL receiving co-validation type certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) of Chile recently. Compliance of ALH with the requirements specified by the aviation regulation applicable in Chile was confirmed after detailed review of technical documents and carrying out flight tests on Dhruv.