Hindustan Aeronautics Delivers Dhruv Mk III Helicopters to Indian Coast Guard, Expanding Fleet
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has delivered four Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter Mk IIIs to the Indian Coast Guard, increasing their fleet to 16 since deliveries began in 2022. This delivery follows a recent order for six additional helicopters, signed in March. The Dhruv helicopters are powered by HAL/Safran Shakti-1H1 turboshaft engines, co-developed with the Ardiden 1 turboshaft family. The recent deliveries mark a recovery for the Dhruv model after a challenging year, which included a fatal crash in January 2025 and a subsequent five-month grounding of maritime variants. During this period, HAL addressed issues related to fatigue-induced fractures in the non-rotating swashplate, redesigning the assembly for higher stress tolerances and replacing aluminium booster rods with high-tensile stainless-steel rods. 
