Captain Bharat Bhardwaj’s proposal beside a Cheetah helicopter drew a barrage of split opinions, but a far more important marriage went unnoticed. India still relies on Cheetah helicopters, the 50-year-old military workhorse with a troubling crash record, even as delays stall the arrival of its replacement.
When Captain Bharat Bhardwaj proposed to his fiancee, Aarushi, in a Cheetah helicopter after graduating as an Army Aviation pilot, its viral video drew a barrage of split reactions. Questions of decorum in uniform, often subjective, especially among those who wear it, soon followed. Former military commanders stepped in to defend the Army Aviation Corps pilot. Yet, in the midst of this romantic spectacle, India’s dysfunctional marriage with the ageing Cheetah helicopter slipped into the blind spot of many.
Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under licence from France’s Aerospatiale, the Cheetah entered service in India in the mid-1970s. After obtaining a license to produce the choppers in 1976, India’s HAL started its production. Now well over 50 years old in operational use, this single-engine light utility helicopter, though prized for its performance in “hot and high” conditions, has been marred by its record of crashes.
Apart from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force also uses the Cheetah helicopters. The Cheetah helicopter has been a reliable workhorse for troop transport, reconnaissance, casualty evacuation, and logistical support in treacherous terrains where larger aircraft struggle.
Between 1974 and 2022, the Cheetah fleet has been involved in over 60 crashes, resulting in killing dozens of pilots, according to a database on Bharat Rakshak, a website devoted to India’s military.
The latest accident involving the Cheetah helicopter occurred on May 20, when the chopper crashed in the mountainous Tangste region near Leh in Ladakh. On board were three officers, including Major General Sachin Mehta, General Officer Commanding of the 3 Infantry Division, along with a lieutenant colonel and a major who were piloting the aircraft. Miraculously, all three survived with only minor injuries.
Major General Mehta clicked a selfie with his fellow officers near the wreckage of the heavily damaged chopper. But not all who have flown in the Cheetah have been fortunate enough to tell the tale of survival.
Not just the Cheetah, another helicopter used by the Indian military, the Chetak (also manufactured by HAL under licence from France’s Aerospatiale), has had its share of crashes over the decades.
OTHER MILITARY HELICOPTERS ALSO HAVE A POOR SAFETY RECORD
Other military helicopters are also deployed for similar roles, but even their accident rate is a serious concern.
According to data cited by the Army Wives Agitation Group (AWAG) in 2015, 191 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters had crashed over the preceding three decades, resulting in 294 pilot fatalities.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the AWAG said that 31 military pilots had died in accidents involving Cheetah and Chetak helicopters since 2017, and called on the government to speed up the induction of replacement aircraft. “These flying machines have turned into flying coffins as they became obsolete,” the letter said.
Air Marshal GS Bedi (Retd), a fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS) and former senior IAF officer, discussed with Sputnik India the planned phase-out of India’s ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopter fleet.
“…The lack of weather capabilities has prevented the Cheetah and Chetak from flying at higher altitudes over clouds for extended periods of time. Additionally, their autopilots and navigational aids have been insufficient. It was therefore necessary to maintain constant contact with the ground. This was the primary cause of multiple mishaps,” Air Marshal GS Bedi (Retd) told Sputnik India in 2023.
The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force are set to begin phasing out the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters from 2027 after the completion of their Total Technical Life (TTL), still two years away.
The indigenous HAL Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) will be replacing the vintage choppers.
However, the LUH is currently mired in a serious crisis, according to latest reports.
The indigenous 3-tonne class platform, meant to replace the ageing fleets, has been virtually grounded for nearly three months with minimal flights over the past year. A bitter certification deadlock between HAL, the Indian Army, and military airworthiness agencies (CEMILAC and RCMA) has reportedly stalled progress.
