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Helicopter

India

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

HAL Rudra

A weaponized variant of the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter developed for the Indian Army and Air Force, adding a chin-mounted cannon turret, stub-wing hardpoints and upgraded avionics. It bridges the gap between the unarmed Dhruv and the dedicated Prachand light combat helicopter.

In service since 2013 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

291

km/h

800

km range

6,000

m ceiling

700

kg payload

Pricing: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

National export licensing

Subject to India export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2013. Status: active · ~80 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the HAL Rudra can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

70 mm rockets Helina anti-tank missile

Mistral air-to-air missile

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 291 km/h

Stronger than 38% of helicopters
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.: 258 km/h

Stronger than 41% of helicopters
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 800 km

Stronger than 66% of helicopters
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 6,000 m

Stronger than 65% of helicopters
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.: 12 m/s

Stronger than 59% of helicopters

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 20 mm M621 cannon (turret-mounted)
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.: 4

Stronger than 43% of helicopters
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 700 kg

Stronger than 20% of helicopters

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Limited armored crew protection
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: radar/laser/missile warning receivers, chaff, flares

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 15.87 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 4.98 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 2,500 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 5,500 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 2

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: 2x HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft, 871 hp each
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.: 2
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 871 hp

Stronger than 14% of helicopters
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Turboshaft

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: Electro-optical/infrared sighting system, helmet-mounted display
Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: Yes

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 80

Stronger than 33% of helicopters
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 18% of helicopters

Specifications compiled from public Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra has a maximum speed of 291 km/h.

What is the range of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra has a maximum range of 800 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra can carry up to 700 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra weigh? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra has a combat weight of 5,500 kg.

How many crew does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra require? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra requires a crew of 2.

What is the main armament of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra's primary weapon is the 20 mm M621 cannon (turret-mounted).

What engine does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra use? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra is powered by the 2x HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft, 871 hp each.

What is the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra used for? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra is a helicopter typically used for close air support, isr.

How many countries operate the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra? +

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra cost? +

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL Rudra: Unit cost not consistently publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.