The first two consecutive test-firings in lofted top-attack mode of the definitive version of the third-generation HELINA anti-armour guided-missile on July 15 and 16 at the DRDO’s ITR at Balasore has finally kicked off the process of integrating the missile with the ‘Dhruvastra’ weapons-control systems on-board the Rudra WSI (Dhruva Mk.4) helicopter-gunships (78 for the Indian Army Aviation Corps or AAC, distributed among 7 Squadrons, and 16 for the Indian Air Force or IAF) and Light Combat Helicopter or LCH (97 for the AAC and 65 for the IAF).
The 7km-range HELINA’s developmental effort began back in 2012 after it was discovered that the 4km-range NAG anti-armour guided-missile will not be suitable (from a flight-safety standpoint) in a helicopter-launched configuration. In the initial round of test-firings in late 2016 and mid-2017, the HELINA’s imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker, which was derived from that of the NAG failed to acquire and engage ground-based moving and stationary targets beyond a range of 5km.
This led to the IIR seeker’s sensitivity being subjected to further improvements aimed at achieving mission effectiveness out to the specified range of 7km during both daytime and at night.
A series of user-assisted firing trials lasting eight months will kick off by the year’s end for validating the HELINA/Dhruvastra combination’s performance during both winter-time and summer-time over different kinds of terrain and at different operating altitudes. Following this, by late 2021 the Rudras and LCHs will start receiving the series-production HELINA/Dhruvastra combinations.
It may be recalled that the first Rudra prototype made its maiden flight in August 2007. After a series of flight and weapons trials lasting almost six years, the 5.5-tonne Rudra achieved Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in February 2013. The first two Rudras were officially handed over to the AAC during the Aero India 2013 expo at Yelahanka, Bengaluru. Since then, it has taken almost another eight years for the Rudra to emerge as a fully weaponised helicopter-gunship for delivering immediate air-support to the Indian Army.
The 5.8-tonne LCH’s development began at HAL’s RWR & DC Division way back on October 3, 2006 when the Ministry of Defence (MoD) sanctioned a sum of Rs.376.67 crores for HAL to design and develop the LCH over a 24-month period. Powered by twin Ardiden 1H (1,200shp TM333-2C2 Shakti) engines, the first LCH prototype—TD-1—completed its first ground-run on February 4, 2010 and its maiden flight was logged on March 29, 2010. Exactly a year later, the IAF placed a production indent with HAL for procuring 65 LCHs, including 10 LSP models. Three months later, the LCH’s second prototype, TD-2, made its maiden flight on June 28, 2011. The third prototype—TD-3—made its maiden flight on November 12, 2014, while the fourth and last prototype—TD-4—took to the skies on December 1, 2015.
The LCH was originally targetted in 2006 to achieve its IOC by 2013, but as of now, it has yet to complete its weapons-firing trials (due to delayed availability of the HELINA), while its self-protection sensor suite (comprising radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers and missile approach warning system) has yet to be integrated with the airframe. IOC attainment now is not expected before the end of 2021.
It is also expected that the IA, which has to date ordered 443 Bharat Dynamics Ltd-built third-generation NAGs along with 13 OFB Medak-built NAMICA-2 tracked missile launchers, will decide against ordering additional NAGs and will instead opt for the longer-range HELINA for its follow-on NAMICAs.
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Also under development is a DRDO-developed fire-and-forget millimetre-wave (MMW) W-band seeker for a 12km-range version of the HELINA, called SANT. However, the R & D cycle of this missile is unlikely to be completed by 2021 at the very latest.
Total orders for the HELINA for both the IA and IAF are expected to exceed 8,500 units, while for the SANT the requirement is for 4,000 units.
