3. INTRODUCTION
• The Helicopter Division of the government-owned Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has developed the Dhruv (Pole Star)
advanced light helicopter (ALH), a light (5.5t class) multirole and
multimission helicopter for army, air force, navy, coastguard and civil
operations, for both utility and attack roles by day and night.
• The helicopter, which is built to FAR 29 specifications, entered series
production in 2000.
4.
5. DESIGN
• The helicopter is of conventional design and about two-thirds by weight of
composite construction.
• The high tail boom allows easy access to the rear clamshell loading doors.
• The blades are mounted between cruciform-shaped carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic
plates on a fibre elastomer constructed rotor head.
• The helicopter is equipped with an active vibration control system developed by
Lord Corporation of North Carolina that uses sensors to monitor on-board
conditions and outputs signals to actuators to cancel fuselage floor vibrations.
6.
7. WEAPONS
• The army and air force helicopters have stub wings fitted to carry up to eight
anti-armour missiles, four air-to-air missiles or four rocket pods for 70mm
and 68mm rockets.
• In December 2006, Nexter Systems (formerly Giat) was awarded a contract
for the installation of the THL 20 20mm gun turret on the first 20 Indian
forces Dhruv helicopters. The turret is armed with the M621 low-recoil
cannon and is combined with a helmet-mounted sight.
8.
9. HELICOPTER CABIN
• The 7.3m³ cabin accommodates several layouts. As a passenger helicopter the
cabin accommodates 12 or 14 seats.
• A crew door and a rearward sliding door are installed on each side of the
fuselage for the military helicopters.
• The cargo compartment at the rear of the cabin has a volume of 2.16m³.
• Clamshell doors at the rear of the cabin provide easy and fast access for
loading and unloading cargo.
10.
11. ENGINES
• The helicopter has a twin-engine configuration allowing continued flight
virtually throughout the flight envelope. The prototype helicopter is fitted
with two Turbomeca TM 333-2C or 2B2 engines rated at 740kW take-off
power.
• The helicopter is fitted with self-sealing crash-resistant tanks installed under
the cabin floor.
• The fuel system includes cross feeding and fuel dumping systems. The
maximum fuel capacity is 1,400l.
