HAL and Safran sign contract to develop Aravalli helicopter engine

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines have signed off on a contract for their Indian joint venture, SAFHAL, to design, develop, manufacture and support the Aravalli engine, according to HAL.

The engine is rated at 3,500-4,000 shaft horsepower. It is meant to power the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), a planned 13-tonne rotorcraft intended to replace the Indian air force's ageing Mil Mi-17 fleet. HAL said a naval version of the aircraft, the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter, will use the same engine.

The two companies first agreed to set up SAFHAL in 2023. HAL chairman and managing director Ravi K called the new agreement an important step toward self-reliance in Indian aero-engine technology. He said the programme would help build a domestic aerospace industrial base while meeting the operational needs of both helicopter variants.

Plans for the IMRH have been in development for more than a decade, and the programme calls for a helicopter capable of carrying up to 36 troops. HAL has said earlier prototypes will initially fly with a less powerful engine, in the region of 2,800 shp, before the full Aravalli powerplant becomes available.

The Indian air force is the primary customer, but HAL has said the IMRH was designed with export potential in mind as well. The company has compared the aircraft against other heavy-class helicopters currently in service, including the Airbus Helicopters H225M, the Leonardo AW101, the Mi-17, the NH Industries NH90 and the Sikorsky S-92.