Ø In an attempt to salvage India’s image as an
exporter of military hardware, the government is sending a team of experts to
Ecuador which has grounded its fleet of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) –
Dhruv’s after a series of crashes. A team from Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL), the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), is on its way to sort
out the issue. “The team will be there in a day or two,” a defence official
said. Ecuador had procured seven ALH Dhruvs from India, five in 2009 and
two in 2011 in overall deal worth $ 45.2 million, of which four had crashed
following which the remaining had been grounded. Last month, the government of
Ecuador had unilaterally terminated the contract with HAL. While two of
the crashes have been attributed to pilot error, one was due to a mechanical
failure while that of the fourth is still being debated. HAL officials told The
Hindu that
they were responsible for maintenance for 24 months after which it was the
responsibility of Ecuador for which they have been trained. There were also
been reports of Ecuador complaining about lack of spares and maintenance. But
HAL officials have refuted the charges saying that enough spares have been
supplied and stocked in the country.
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