Aircraft engine manufacturer Safran France and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed a cooperation agreement for the joint development of engines to be used on the Indian Multi-role Helicopter (IMRH) at Aero India 2023.
This agreement follows up on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on July 8, 2022, and stipulates the distribution of activities in the joint venture.The IMRH project will be a multi-purpose helicopter for the three Indian military divisions: Air Force, Army and Navy.Especially the Naval variant from IMRH got the nickname DBMRH ( Deck Based Multi-Role Helicopter ).The helicopters will be used for various missions, ranging from troop and cargo transportation, combat search and rescue (CSAR), VVIP transportation, and air ambulances.IMRH has 25.16 m in length, 6.22 m in height, and has a rotor with a diameter of 21.2 meters. It has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 13 tons.
As reported by Safran, in particular, HAL will participate in designing, developing and producing several core engine components.IMRH"s first flight is targeted to take place around 2025-2026 and start its first official service in 2028.In the coming months, Safran and HAL will continue to work on developing this joint venture, which is intended to develop engines not only for the IMRH but also for other helicopters.
