The Indian Navy has formally ruled out the induction of the indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), concluding that the platform does not meet the service’s stringent maritime operational requirements. The decision was confirmed by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, effectively ending speculation over the helicopter’s potential role in replacing the Navy’s aging Chetak fleet.
In a recent interview with Vayu Aerospace Review, Admiral Tripathi said the Navy has completed a comprehensive evaluation of the LUH and found that the helicopter, in its current configuration, fails to satisfy the service’s Qualitative Requirements (QRs). “We have concluded our assessment, and the platform does not meet naval standards,” the Navy chief stated, adding that the service is no longer considering the LUH for procurement.
The ruling underscores the fundamental differences between land-based and maritime aviation requirements. While the LUH has been accepted by both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force for utility roles in challenging terrain, the Navy operates in a far more hostile environment. Ship-borne aviation demands aircraft that can withstand constant exposure to saltwater, high humidity, strong winds, and the unique stresses of deck operations.
According to officials familiar with the evaluation, the LUH fell short in several critical areas essential for sustained naval operations. These include inadequate corrosion resistance for prolonged exposure to the marine environment, limitations in payload capacity, and insufficient endurance for extended over-water missions. Safety margins—particularly vital for flights conducted far from land with limited emergency recovery options—were also found to be below the Navy’s expectations.
The Navy has maintained that helicopters inducted into its fleet must be either purpose-built for maritime use or significantly adapted to meet naval standards. A generic utility helicopter optimised primarily for land operations, officials argue, cannot be easily repurposed for ship-borne roles without major design compromises.
The decision means the LUH will not replace the Navy’s long-serving Chetak helicopters, which have been the backbone of Indian naval aviation since their induction in 1966. Despite their age, the Chetaks continue to perform limited but essential roles such as training, light utility tasks, and communications. The Navy currently operates around 51 Chetaks, many of which have undergone upgrades to extend their service life.
Highlighting the platform’s continued relevance, HAL delivered a new Chetak helicopter to the Navy ahead of schedule as recently as 2019. The Chetak is manufactured in India by HAL under licence from Eurocopter, now Airbus Helicopters, and remains one of the longest-serving rotary-wing platforms in the country’s military inventory.
With the LUH out of contention, attention is now shifting to alternative pathways for modernising the Navy’s utility helicopter fleet. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of 76 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) intended for both the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. The NUH programme is expected to focus squarely on helicopters designed to operate seamlessly from warships, patrol vessels, and offshore platforms.
HAL, for its part, is offering the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv in a naval configuration. However, the navalised Dhruv has faced challenges in the past, particularly in meeting requirements related to rapid folding of rotor blades—a critical feature for storage in the confined hangars of frontline warships. Issues related to maintenance and operational availability have also been raised during earlier deployments.
Despite these hurdles, the ALH Dhruv is expected to undergo further trials as HAL works to address the Navy’s concerns. Whether the platform can ultimately meet the service’s demanding standards remains uncertain.
The Navy’s firm rejection of the LUH sends a clear signal that future aviation procurements will be driven strictly by operational necessity rather than commonality with other services. As India seeks to strengthen its maritime posture in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, the Navy appears determined to ensure that only platforms fully compliant with rigorous naval qualitative requirements are inducted, safeguarding both operational readiness and flight safety at sea.
