(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Indian Army on Friday raised its first squadron of Apache combat helicopters at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, aiming to further bolster its operational capabilities along the western front with Pakistan.
Procured from US defence giant Boeing, the Indian Army will start receiving the assault choppers in May. Sources in the force said that the three helicopters will be received in May and subsequently the remaining three.
During the raising ceremony, Army Aviation's director general Lt Gen Ajay Suri and other officials were present. The delivery schedule has been delayed by three months. It was scheduled to receive the chopper in February, the sources said.
Last year, the pilots and technicians of the Indian Army have completed their training in the United States. In 2020, India inked a deal with the United States to procure six Apache helicopters worth Rs 5,691 crore. These choppers will be equipped with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns and rocket systems.
It must be mentioned that the Indian Air Force has already inducted 22 Apache assault helicopters under the Rs 13,952 crore deal signed with the US in 2015.
In 2023, the Indian Army commissioned its first dedicated attack helicopter -- the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)“Prachand”. The first LCH squadron of the Indian Army is located in the eastern sector near the Line of Actual Control in Missamari, Assam last November.
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