Armed forces raise alert over old Cheetah/Chetak helicopters

印度军队再次为其老旧的“印度豹”和“猎豹”直升机拉响警报

NEW DELHI: The armed forces have once again sounded the alarm over their ageing and virtually obsolete Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, stressing that the 'total technical life' of these light utility choppers will begin ending from 2023 onwards.

新德里：印度军队再次为其老旧且几乎过时的“印度豹”和“猎豹”直升机拉响警报，强调这些轻型直升机的“总技术寿命”将于2023年结束。

They have urged the government to fast-track two long-pending 'Make in India' projects to build such light utility helicopters as well as ensure defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) delivers its own under-development choppers in requisite numbers within the required timeframes.

军方敦促政府加快两个长期悬而未决的“印度制造”项目，以建造这种轻型多用直升机，并确保印度斯坦航空公司(HAL)在规定的时间内交付必要数量的直升机。

“The defence ministry has been told that a critical operational void is fast emerging due to the vintage single-engine Cheetah and Chetak fleets. The bulk of them are over 40 years old,” said a senior officer on Sunday.

一名高级官员周日表示：“国防部被告知，单引擎“印度豹”和“猎豹”直升机老化，巨大缺口迅速出现，这些直升机的服役期大部分超过了40年。”

The armed forces have been demanding new light choppers for well over 15 years now. The renewed push comes amidst the ongoing military confrontation with in eastern Ladakh, which is already into its fifth month and is likely to stretch through the winter.

15年来，军方一直在要求采购新型轻型直升机。与此同时，印度与在拉达克东部的军事对抗已经进入第五个月，很可能会持续整个冬季。

Army, IAF and Navy currently have 187 Chetak and 205 Cheetah helicopters, which are used to even service high-altitude areas like the Siachen Glacier region. But they are plagued by a high crash rate and huge serviceability problems.

印度陆军、空军和海军目前拥有187架“猎豹”直升机和205架“印度豹”直升机，这些直升机甚至被用于高海拔地区，如锡亚琴冰川地区，但是饱受坠毁率过高和可用性不足等问题的困扰

Overall, the three Services together need 483 new light utility helicopters. But the three-pronged approach to acquire them is still stuck in the doldrums.

总的来说，三军共需要483架轻型多用途直升机，但三管齐下的采购仍然停滞不前。

The first is a joint venture between India and Russia, under an inter-governmental agreement inked way back in 2015, to manufacture 200 twin-engine Kamov-226T helicopters (135 for Army, 65 for IAF) for over Rs 20,000 crore.

第一个是印度和俄罗斯之间的合资企业，根据2015年签署的政府间协议，斥资2000亿卢比生产200架双引擎卡莫夫-226T直升机(135架给印度陆军，65架给印度空军)。

“But five years later, it’s still in the technical evaluation stage. The final contract is far away. There are some problems with the indigenisation levels being offered by Russia. But HAL also needs to get going as the JV partner,” said another officer.

另一位官员表示：“但五年后，该项目仍处于技术评估阶段。最终的合同还遥遥无期。俄罗斯提出的本土化水平存在一些问题。但印度斯坦航空公司（HAL）作为合资伙伴也需要开始行动。”

HAL, of course, is also develo its own light utility helicopters. The initial requirement was pegged at 111 for Army and 61 for IAF. With the basic IAF variant getting the initial operational clearance (IOC) in February this year, the Army one is now also ready for it, says HAL chief R Madhavan.

当然，印度斯坦航空公司也在自主研发轻型多用途直升机。最初的需求是陆军111架，印度空军61架。印度斯坦航空公司负责人R Madhavan表示，印度空军的版本在今年2月获得了初步操作许可(IOC)，陆军的一款现在也已经准备就绪。

But given the large numbers required and the production capacity available, military officers contend both the Kamov and HAL projects need to be pushed to avoid a huge operational void over the next few years.

但考虑到所需的数量过多和生产能力不足，军方官员认为，必须推动卡莫夫和HAL项目，以避免在未来几年出现巨大的缺口。

The third proposed project is the “strategic partnership” one to produce 111 armed, twin-engine naval utility choppers at a cost of over Rs 21,000 crore. Under it, an Indian private sector company was to tie-up with a foreign manufacturer.

第三个提议的项目是“战略合作”项目，生产111架武装双引擎海军通用直升机，成本超过2100亿卢比。根据该协议，一家印度私营企业将与一家外国制造商合作。

Four Indian firms (Tata, Adani, Mahindra Defence and Bharat Forge) and three foreign ones (Airbus, Kamov and Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky) were earlier shortlisted. But with HAL now insisting it should also be considered, the project is nowhere near taking off.

四家印度公司(塔塔、阿达尼、马欣德拉国防和巴拉特Forge)和三家外国公司(空中客车、卡莫夫和洛克希德马丁-西科斯基)早前进入了候选名单。但HAL现在坚持认为也应该考虑，这个项目离起步还差得很远。

印度时报读者的评论：译者：Jessica.Wu

Anad Majethia

Import 2-3 good helicopters and reverse engineer them, damnit! Stop relying on world to work for you. You have to work for yourself to be great!

进口2-3架先进直升机，然后进行逆向工程!

不要再依赖其他国家了，必须靠自己才能变得伟大!

Ramandeep Mann

What a shame. People like Mallya and Nirav Modi runs away with billions of dollars of government money and enjoying. Our beloved army is using 40 year old choppers. Can you imagine? No words to describe the incompetence of successive government. They could not even figure out where our priorities are. We shold have military first policy. Forget about any other development. Just give army what they want if we want to survive against our loving neighbours.

真丢人。像马尔雅和尼拉夫·莫迪这样的人卷走数十亿美元的政府资金逃跑，到国外享受，而军队的直升机用了40年了还没换。你能想象吗?

历届政府无能，令人无语。他们甚至不知道我们的首要任务是什么。我们应该实行军事第一的政策。搁置其他的发展。如果我们想要对抗邻国的话，给军队提供他们想要的东西

hindustani

Con-gress has left our Armed forces armless... for last 6 years Modi Gov't is trying it best to upgrade armed forces but Gadda itna gehra hai ki isse purte purte modi ki zindagi nikal jayegi

国大党让我们的武装部队手无寸铁…在过去的6年里，莫迪政府尽最大努力升级武装力量

Uttam Jha

We should shut down HAL. Encourage private companies to manufacture. Seems like, HAL is used by corrupt bureaucrats to stall govt projects so they can get Commissions.

我们应该关掉印度斯坦航空公司，鼓励私营企业进行生产。看来，腐败的官僚们利用印度斯坦航空公司阻碍政府项目的进展，这样他们就能拿回扣了。

Galwan Martyrs

Congress to Chalo was bekar. But Feku's govt turned out to be equally bad at these indegeonization of military technologies.

国大党不行，但结果证明莫迪政府在军事技术的研发方面也同样不咋地。

Trishul

Do not expect hi tech helicopters from this beggar government. They will blame Nehru and Congress for obsolete defense hardware.

不要指望这个乞丐政府会为军队提供先进直升机。至于这些过时的武器，他们将把责任推到尼赫鲁和国大党头上。

Vinod Kumar

Why this "firefighting" all the times. It seems that for politicians only voted matter and for civil servants (bureaucrats) sitting in Delhi only comforts matter. Army's needs are not priority. If had not intruded our territory, these dummies would still be slee.

为什么总是这样临时抱佛脚。对政客来说，只有选票才是最重要的，对坐在德里的公务员(官僚)来说，舒适才是最重要的。军队的需要不是他们优先考虑的。如果没有入侵我们的领土，这些傻瓜还在睡觉。

Dr Patel

Indian Air Force is not even remotely close to the Air Force capacity. if there is an actual War, IAF would be wiped out in a matter of days.

印度空军的能力远不及空军。如果真的发生战争，印度空军将在几天内被歼灭。

Atheismistheanswer

The number of accidents with the obsolte MIG s from the soviet era is shameful in international standards

印度摔的米格战机（苏联时代淘汰的）的数量，以国际标准来看太丢人了

Ved Ohla

aur ye se larenge, fenku can only distribute wealth for votes

莫迪只愿意为拉票花钱

Rajendra Yadav

what are our companies HAL going from 15 years. can't the team produce a latest generation helicopter for our country ?

15年了，印度斯坦航空公司都干嘛了？15年都不能为我们国家造出一款最新一代的直升机？

Khidr Niyazi

6 years in power are enough for replacement. But you'll be blaming Congress for everything as usual.

人民党执政6年了，有这么长时间足够更换这些旧直升机。但他们将一如既往地将一切归咎于国大党。

Common

Again caught slee... How this Government different then the previous one ?? Contract signed in 2015 and yet RFP is yet to be floated !!!

玩忽职守，本届政府与前任政府有何不同?合同是2015年签的，到现在招标都还没开始!!

leladhar44

CONGRESS HAS NEGLECTED THE BASIC SECURITY REQUIREMENTS, THEY WANT Z SECURITY FOR THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY, BUT NOTHING FOR THE DEFENCE PERSONNEL TO PROTECT US, PITIABLE DYNASTIC ATTITUDE.

国大党忽视了基本的安全要求，他们想让某个家族高枕无忧，却不想让国防人员保护我们。

S Sidhu

Nehru & Indira built seceral Manufaturing Plants for Defence Forces and Civilians but MODI JI formed only “”BJP IT CELL”” to protect him.

尼赫鲁和英迪拉为国防部队和平民建造了一些制造工厂，莫迪成立了“人民党水军”来保护他自己。

John Stephenson Stephen

Shut down HAL,and show the gate to one and all,those that are fattening themselves c/o HAL salary,perks etc.

印度斯坦航空公司是一个无用、贪婪、腐败的组织，应该尽早关门，将所有生产转移到能够按时交付高质量产品的私营企业。

Mark Dias

and jokers are challenging

一群小丑还想挑战