Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday said indigenously designed and developed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) will not be participating in this year’s Republic Day flypast, as the entire fleet of 330 copters have been grounded by manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) since January 5 crash that left two pilots and an aircrew member, all from Indian Coast Guards (ICG), dead.
Defence Secretary Singh confirmed what Indian Air Force had stated a couple of days ago but Singh also stated 39 aircrafts would be participating in the flypast on January 26.
12 different formations
“The ALH will not be participating in the parade but a variety of other 39 aircraft will be taking part and 12 different formations will be displayed,” Singh told in a press conference here.
A Board of Inquiry, constituted to look into the cause of accident of ICG’s ALH Mk-3, was examining the Flight Data Recorder and if need be will go through the transmission system of Dhruv to get bottom of the issue, though the HAL was told that prima facie major systems were ok, businessline reported on January 9.
The ALH went for a training sortie for an-hour-and-half and returned to land safely at their base in Porbandar, Gujarat, on January 5. But, on taking off again for second flight, the copter crashed near Coast Guard Air Enclave in Porbandar.
Singh further said that more and more wider participation of society and culture would be brought in this year’s Republic Day parade.
“The military and martial character of the parade is being maintained but wider and wider participation of society and culture would be brought in,” he said.
Rehearsals
Meanwhile, MI-17 V-5 choppers, All Terrain Vehicles of different types, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems and Apacheattack helicopters took part in the rehearsals for the Republic Day parade on Monday at Kartavya Path.
In view of the enhanced security arrangements ahead of Republic Day on 26th January, the security checks for passengers have been further intensified by CISF across the metro stations till 27th January 2025.
In between preparations, the Indian Army’s Motorcycle Rider Display Team, known as the “Daredevils,” achieved a world record at Kartavya Path on Monday.
Part of the Corps of Signals, the team formed the highest human pyramid on moving motorcycles, standing an impressive 20.4 feet tall. The formation, comprising 40 men on 7 motorcycles, covered a distance of 2 kilometers from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, said Indian Army.
With this latest achievement, the team now boasts an incredible 33 world records, including entries in the Guinness Book of World Records, Asia Book of Records, and Limca Book of Records, said the Army.
