HAL secures $10 million Namibian order for Chetak, Cheetah choppers
11 Jun 2009
New Delhi: Indian state-owned aerospace and defence giant, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has bagged a $10 million order for supplying two Chetak and one Cheetah light utility helicopters to the Namibian armed forces.
"HAL has bagged a new export order to supply Chetak and Cheetah helicopters to Namibia, a southern African nation," defence ministry sources said.
According to sources, the deal with the Namibian defence ministry was signed in April this year and comes in the wake of export orders for the HAL designed and manufactured Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) over the past year. South American country Ecuador has already taken delivery of five Dhruv ALHs.
Chetak is a multi-purpose, seven-seater helicopter while the Cheetah is a light observation helicopter. Both these platforms are used by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army Aviation Corps.
Chetak and Cheetah are produced by HAL under licence from Eurocopter in 1970.
The helicopter division of HAL has so far produced nearly 350 Chetaks and 250 Cheetahs.