THE Namibian Defence Force (NDF) will soon see its first Indian-manufactured military helicopter, a Cheetah Utility Chopper, on local soil, after it was handed over to Defence Minister Charles Namoloh at the Aero India 2011 Air Show in Bangalore on Wednesday.
The Cheetah is the first of three helicopters included in a N$71,5 million deal signed between the NDF and the Indias aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 2009.
The two remaining helicopters, Chetak helicopters, will be delivered to Namibia in June this year.
Namoloh told The Namibian yesterday that the Namibian Government had bought the helicopters to replace the NDF helicopters that had crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the peacekeeping mission in that country.
Namibia is buying these helicopters because it is satisfied with their quality based on previous experience it has using them since 1994, Namoloh said.
Indian news sources stated that ground support and ground handling equipment, plus an initial set of spares, will accompany the delivery. The Indian company will also assist in the training of Namibian pilots and ground crew, HAL managing director Soundara Rajan was reported as saying at the handover ceremony.
Helicopters are in high demand in Namibia. Apart from catering for security needs of the country, they will be used as usual to assist civil authorities in peacetime, in operations for emergencies such as flood and drought relief, and transportation for both military and civil purposes, the minister said.
the Namibian: NDF purchases first Indian helicopter
The Cheetah is the first of three helicopters included in a N$71,5 million deal signed between the NDF and the Indias aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 2009.
The two remaining helicopters, Chetak helicopters, will be delivered to Namibia in June this year.
Namoloh told The Namibian yesterday that the Namibian Government had bought the helicopters to replace the NDF helicopters that had crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the peacekeeping mission in that country.
Namibia is buying these helicopters because it is satisfied with their quality based on previous experience it has using them since 1994, Namoloh said.
Indian news sources stated that ground support and ground handling equipment, plus an initial set of spares, will accompany the delivery. The Indian company will also assist in the training of Namibian pilots and ground crew, HAL managing director Soundara Rajan was reported as saying at the handover ceremony.
Helicopters are in high demand in Namibia. Apart from catering for security needs of the country, they will be used as usual to assist civil authorities in peacetime, in operations for emergencies such as flood and drought relief, and transportation for both military and civil purposes, the minister said.
the Namibian: NDF purchases first Indian helicopter