<p>State-run defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Friday said it will supply 20 multirole Cheetal helicopters to the Indian Army at an estimated value of Rs.418 crore.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"We have signed a contract with the defence ministry to supply 20 Cheetals to the army over the next four years besides providing training to its pilots and technical crew," the company said in a statement here Friday.<br /><br />The deal is in addition to an earlier order the Bangalore-based company bagged in 2006 from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for supplying 10 Cheetals, of which nine have been delivered so far.<br /><br />As an upgraded variant of its earlier Cheetah chopper, Cheetal is equipped with the fuel-efficient Turbomeca turboshaft engine for 90kg payload at an altitude of 6km.<br /><br />"Cheetal can operate up to 7km altitude and has 640km range with an endurance of nearly four hours," the statement noted.<br /><br />Fitted with a full authority digital engine control system and an electronic backup control box (EBCB) system, the new chopper boasts of a modern cockpit with electrically driven artificial horizon, directional gyro, flight monitoring system, cockpit voice recorder and master flasher warning system.<br /><br />"Cheetal is best suited for missions such as personnel transport, casualty evacuation, reconnaissance and aerial survey, logistic air support, rescue operations and under slung loads (cargo)," the statement added.</p>
<p>State-run defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Friday said it will supply 20 multirole Cheetal helicopters to the Indian Army at an estimated value of Rs.418 crore.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"We have signed a contract with the defence ministry to supply 20 Cheetals to the army over the next four years besides providing training to its pilots and technical crew," the company said in a statement here Friday.<br /><br />The deal is in addition to an earlier order the Bangalore-based company bagged in 2006 from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for supplying 10 Cheetals, of which nine have been delivered so far.<br /><br />As an upgraded variant of its earlier Cheetah chopper, Cheetal is equipped with the fuel-efficient Turbomeca turboshaft engine for 90kg payload at an altitude of 6km.<br /><br />"Cheetal can operate up to 7km altitude and has 640km range with an endurance of nearly four hours," the statement noted.<br /><br />Fitted with a full authority digital engine control system and an electronic backup control box (EBCB) system, the new chopper boasts of a modern cockpit with electrically driven artificial horizon, directional gyro, flight monitoring system, cockpit voice recorder and master flasher warning system.<br /><br />"Cheetal is best suited for missions such as personnel transport, casualty evacuation, reconnaissance and aerial survey, logistic air support, rescue operations and under slung loads (cargo)," the statement added.</p>