Chandigarh: The much awaited Chinook heavy-lift helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF), here on Monday, March 25.
The first four helicopters, out of 15, were inducted today in the presence of Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshall B S Dhanoa.
Addressing the gathering at the induction programme, B S Dhanoa said that the helicopters are the need of the hour as the country is facing a number of security challenges.
According to the Twitter post of an Indian news agency, he said that the helicopter is capable of carrying out military and rescue operations, during both the day and night. He also opined that their induction will be a game-changer, like the Rafale in the fighter fleet.
Dhanoa was quoted as saying, “The Chinook has been procured with ‘India-specific’ enhancements and it is a national asset.”
With the induction of the Chinook helicopters into the IAF, India becomes the 19th country in the world to own them.
The helicopter is capable of carrying cargo weighing around 23,000 kgs at a max speed of 302 kmph (kilometre per hour).
The first four CH-47F (I) Chinook arrived from the United States in Gujarat’s Mundra Port on February 10. They were then transported to Chandigarh.
About the induction of the next unit, Dhanoa said that it will be done for the East, in Dinjan (Assam).
It can be recalled that India had signed an MoU of USD 1.5 billion for 15 Chinooks in September of 2015.
Inputs from IANS
