Army allowed to fly grounded 'Dhruv' copters for counter ops

NEW DELHI: Defence ministry has given the Army permission to fly the 'Dhruv' advanced light helicopters (ALHs) in Srinagar and adjoining areas to help the intensive counter-terror operations launched after the Pahalgam terror massacre.
All the 330 twin-engine ALHs in the armed forces were grounded for safety checks since a crash killed two Coast Guard pilots and an aircrew diver in Porbandar on Jan 5. This majorly hit military operations and preparedness, especially along the borders with China and Pakistan.
"Permission has been given to the Army to fly its ALHs in Srinagar and adjoining areas as per the requirements of the ground force commanders," an official said on Wednesday.
The armed forces rely heavily on the multi-role 5.5-tonne ALHs for 'sustenance flights' to forward areas and posts as well as for observation and reconnaissance, search and rescue missions. The most affected is the Army, which has a fleet of over 180 ALHs, including 60 weaponised versions called 'Rudra', manufactured by HAL.