HAL Rudra

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The HAL Rudra (lit. 'Roaring') also known as ALH-WSI, is an armed version of the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter which is designed and produced by the Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Rudra was developed in parallel to the HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), a more extensive attack helicopter developed from the Dhruv. Extensive changes from the Dhruv were avoided to produce the Rudra with the express purpose of providing an indigenous armed helicopter faster than the LCH programme could do so. The Mark III variant features the sensors and mission equipment, but lacked weaponry; the Rudra Mark IV is provisioned with various armaments. The Rudra is equipped with forward looking infrared (FLIR), day-and-night optical cameras, and a Thermal Imaging Sights Interface; armed models feature a 20 mm turret gun, 70 mm rocket pods, anti-tank guided missiles and air-to-air missiles. Work on the programme started in December 1998, and the prototype Rudra conducted its...

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