Why in news? Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter factory ,the country’s largest chopper manufacturing facility in Tumakuru district of Karnataka.

Highlights

• The factory at Gubbi would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH).
• It will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much-needed fillip to the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture.
• This factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs).
• It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future.
• Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory, which is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques

About Light Combat Helicopters

• LUH is designed and developed as a replacement for Cheetah & Chetak helicopters which are being operated by Indian Armed forces.
• It was designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Center, one of the R&D sections of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
• LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-tonne class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter used for civilian and military applications.
• This helicopter with glass cockpit will be able to undertake various missions, including emergency medical services (EMS), troop transport, utility, search and rescue (S&R), VVIP, aerial reconnaissance and surveillance missions
• LUH will be capable of flying at 220 Kmph, service ceiling of 6.5 Km and a range of 350 Km with 500 kg payload.