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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. Why so few systems publish one →
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 258 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 800 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 6,000 m |
| Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat. | 12 m/s |
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 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 700 kg |
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 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
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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Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow 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.
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