IAF to induct first 4 of its 15 Chinook helicopters; Here is all you need to know about the military Aircraft

Indian Air Force will induct the first four of its 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers on Monday in Chandigarh where these helicopters have been deployed.

Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa would be inducting the planes into the force. India has paid close to USD 1.5 billion for 15 of these helicopters which would be also used for deploying troops and machinery at high altitude locations.

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Here is everything you need to know about the magnificent Aircraft:

• The Chinook, a multi-mission helicopter for transports artillery, troops, equipment, supplies to the battlefield. 
• The helicopter can also offer support during disaster relief, medical evacuation, search and rescue missions, aircraft recovery, and parachute drops, according to Boeing.
• The Chinooks can carry goods and cargo of up to 9.6 tonnes each
• The Aircraft has been tested to function in extreme, diverse conditions across the world. 
• The company has produced 1,179 Chinooks so far.
• The CH-47F is operated by a crew of three people, that includes two pilots and flight engineer.
• The military helicopter can be armed with up to three 7.62 mm machine guns or miniguns.

Chinook is one of the two helicopters other than the Apache attack choppers for which India had signed deals in 2015-16. The supplies of Apaches will also start by September this year when they start arriving at the Pathankot airbase.

India had in 2018 signed a $3 billion contract for the purchase of 15 Chinook and 22 Apache attack helicopters, three years after first deciding to buy the equipment.

The Boeing platforms would replace the Russia-made Mi-17 medium-lift helicopters, the Mi-26 helicopters and Mi-35 attack helicopters.

India has rapidly scaled up purchases of defence equipment from the US as it sought to diversify from its biggest supplier, Russia, and to keep pace with the military modernization plans of China and Pakistan. In the past, India has ordered military hardware worth billions of dollars from the US including anti-submarine warfare planes, aircraft, and missiles.

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(With PTI inputs)