Indian Air Force Soon to Get Boeing’s Apache And Chinook Helicopters

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will soon get Boeing’s Apache and Chinook helicopters. The IAF’s crew is getting trained on the Apache AH-64 E and Chinook CH 47F (I) helicopters. According to reports, the Apache will be delivered by March next year, whereas India will start getting the delivery of Chinook helicopters from July 2019 onwards. New Delhi signed a $ 3 billion deal to buy 22 Apache and 15 Chinook helicopters in September 2015 with Boeing and the government of the United States.

The Indian government signed a direct contract with the Boeing to procure Chinook helicopters, while the deal to buy Apache helicopters is a mixed one. A part of the deal was signed with the US aviation company and the other half is signed with the US government under foreign military sales route. Meanwhile, last year, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government signed another deal with the Boeing to acquire six Apache helicopters for the Indian Army. It will be the first fleet of attack helicopters of the army.

The new set of helicopters will likely to replace falling Chetak and Cheetah helicopters. Currently the IAF has around 500 helicopters including training choppers

Chinooks:

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter developed by American rotorcraft company Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, earlier known as Boeing Vertol. The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Chinnook helicopters were first inducted by the US army in 1962 ans still these helicopters are in operation.

Apaches:

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The helicopter was introduced to U.S. Army service in April 1986. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded Apache variant, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Over 2,000 Apache helicopters have been produced so far.