ALH Dhruv Successfully Recovered from Bihar Floodwaters by Indian Army Corps of Engineers Task Force

Muzaffarpur, Bihar – An Indian Air Force (IAF) Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that was forced to make a water landing in the flood-swollen Lakhandei River earlier this month has been successfully recovered by a dedicated Indian Army Corps of Engineers Task Force. The ALH was engaged in flood relief operations in Muzaffarpur district when it suffered damage, necessitating the emergency landing.

Images released by the Army show the ALH partially submerged with visible damage to its left side. However, the tail section and other parts of the helicopter appear to be largely intact, raising hopes for its potential restoration.

The IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer of the ALH, are expected to conduct a detailed assessment of the damage to determine the feasibility of repairs. If deemed repairable, the helicopter could be returned to service.

This successful recovery operation highlights the expertise and rapid response capabilities of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. Their swift action and efficient execution in challenging conditions helped minimize further damage to the helicopter and ensured its safe retrieval.

The ALH, also known as the Dhruv, is a versatile multi-role helicopter designed and manufactured by HAL. It is extensively used by the Indian Armed Forces for various missions, including transport, reconnaissance, and disaster relief. This incident underscores the crucial role these helicopters play in responding to emergencies and providing aid in times of natural disasters.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

All the electronics would be gone, and hull and electrical and mechanical parts would also have taken serious damage. Most parts would have to be replaced. Just scrap it and build new one.

Reliability is paramount for an aircraft. Using an aircraft that was submerged for several days again is recipe for disaster.

 

[Anant]

Gauging by the images of the helicopter, both before and after the recovery, I have to agree with what others are saying in that this chopper seems like a functional loss. The electronics have been submerged in water for a while, and a lot of parts had to be removed as part of the recovery.

Perhaps it would simply be best to write off this chopper, scavenge it for whatever parts can be salvaged and used on other helicopters, and consign the rest to the scrapyard.

 

[bonito]

3 ALH down in 2023, 2 in 2024. As per govt announcement India lost 50 air personnel in 5 yrs. Does anyone want to talk about quality in India ?

 

[BK sahu]

3 ALH down in 2023, 2 in 2024. As per govt announcement India lost 50 air personnel in 5 yrs. Does anyone want to talk about quality in India ?

Apache helicopter crashed in ladakh. Very poor quality. Right?

 

[bonito]

Apache helicopter crashed in ladakh. Very poor quality. Right?

Whats the accident ratio ? If it is significant yes poor quality. By pointing out others we cannot absolve of our quality consciousness. Or do you want to justify the loss ?

 

[siva saba]

u want data for apache?

March 25 2024 crash involving an AH-64E Apache helicopter at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington was the third Apache mishap in two months. That incident resulted in two soldiers injured.

In February, there were two separate Army National Guard Apache crashes, one in Mississippi resulting in the death of two pilots, the other in Utah, which was not fatal.

march 2024 news -

The Army has ordered an aviation “safety stand up,” with additional aviation training across the force following a dozen mishaps that have resulted in 10 fatalities in only the first six months of the fiscal year.

By comparison, the Army had 10 mishaps and 14 fatalities for all fiscal 2023. The current number of mishaps is equal to or higher than the total annual mishaps reported each year since fiscal 2016, according to Army Combat Readiness Center data