Alouette III (Chetak)

Aerospatiale SA316B Alouette III (Chetak)

 Amongst the first Alouette IIIs operated by the Indian Air Force were three indented for by the Indian Navy which through operational necessity, instead of SAR duties from the aircraft carrier, served in the high Himalayas. These Alouette Ills ordered by the Navy from France were received in October 1962 just as the frontier skirmishes with China had escalated into a major conflict.

Selecting the Alouette III as its standard utility Chopper, the Government of India had signed a contract for the licence manufacture of the SE 3160 Alouette III on June 4th 1962 but also purchased outright some thirty seven numbers before the first Alouette III, built from major assemblies by HAL, Bangalore, flew on 11th June 1965. The first helicopter manufactured from raw materials at Bangalore made its maiden flight on 21st June 1969 and the I.A.F. is reportedly to receive some 140 Alouettes from HAL.

The seven-seat general purpose and utility Alouette III has been extensively used for Cas-Vac duties, especially in the Ladakh and NEFA sectors, the helicopter accommodating two stretchers and two sitting casualties. Transforming from missions of mercy to those of infliction, gunship Alouette Ms, fitted out with machine guns and rocket pods, proved very effective in covering heliborne operations of the Indian Army in the riverine areas of East Bengal during December 1971. Seven Alouette Ills flew the Indian generals and their staff to Dacca for the surrender of Pakistani forces on 16th December 1971. A handful of Alouettes were presented to the new nation and were amongst the first aircraft with the new Bangladesh Air Force and based at Tezgaon.

Six months earlier, in May 1971, six Alouette Ins, were operated by the I.A.F from Colombo airport in urgent response to a request for support by the Ceylon Government in fighting the insurgent threat to that country.

The ubiquitous Alouette is used by general staff officers for communication tasks and, in a lighter vein, wearing a fancy elephant rig, has amused thousands of spectators at Republic Day parades and Air Force functions. A number of Alouette. IIIs have been earmarked for use by the Border Security Force in the northern region and, pending availability of the Cheetah, a number are employed by the Artillery’s Air O.P. component, No. 4 A.O.P. Flight having first received Alouettes in 1969. An I.A.F. Alouette, fitted with pontoons, has ferried personnel from Santa Cruz to the offshore drilling platform at “Bombay High”.

Notes:

The SE 3160 Alouette III was derived from its highly successful predecessor, the SE 3130 Alouette II. The Alouette III, first flown in France on February 28th, 1959, was modified to incorporate a reinforced transmission system, an enlarged fuselage and a Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turbine rated at 450 s.h.p. A prototype of the Alouette III was test flown in the Alps, making a series of landings on Mount Blanc in 1960, dramatically demonstrating its high altitude capabilities.

Nearly 1000 Alouette IIIs have been ordered and licence production undertaken in India, Switzerland and Rumania while some Alouette Ills have been assembled from kits at Dhamial, Pakistan.