The development of the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) and Naval DMRH helicopters which will replace the fleets of Mi-8 & Mi-17 helicopters in the Indian Army and Indian Air Force as well as Sea-King helicopters in the Navy is the current focus of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, a state owned aerospace and defence company in India.
Its core research team has plans to work on two ground breaking helicopter programmes that will use coaxial rotor and tilt rotor propulsion now that the Light Utility Helicopter and Light Combat Helicopter programmes have been completed, with the production facility already up and running and just waiting for orders.
The development of coaxial rotor propulsion for a next generation medium lift sized helicopter that might also have a pusher propeller configuration has not been ruled out despite HAL’s proposal to the Armed Forces that it will work on next generation helicopters after the IMRH programme is finished in 2032.
Low observable technology and quick acceleration and deceleration have been brought up in discussions with Army and Air Force authorities about the adoption of next generation propulsion in the helicopters. The new initiative can be thought of as the ALH Dhruv program’s successor.
The Tilt Rotor Helicopter Program will be Much More Complex Since Many Established Helicopter Manufacturers Were Unable To Get It Right On Their Very First Try And Will Need Much More Research And Development, Since Such Tiltrotor propulsion Is Limited To Very Few Manufacturers. The Air Force will likely use this Heavy Lift class helicopter the most, but the Navy may also use it.
