Gandiwa, How are you today?

Attempt to cover the needs of combat helicopter was never carried out instead. Even as a fairly urgent needs, and then Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) / PT. Dirgantara Indonesia (PT. DI) modify the NBO-105 helicopters to combat helicopters. But the modified helicopters ability can not be equated with the pure combat helicopters. Additionally modified combat helicopters are more suitable for air fire support (close air support) for soft targets such as infantry, military trucks, tactical and light combat vehicles. As for the hard targets such as tank more suitable carried by true combat helicopters.

Gandiwa, an Indonesian combat helicopter concept. (Picture from: http://berita-hankam.blogspot.com/)

Well, departing from the needs of combat helicopters, PT. DI create the concept of a true combat capable helicopters. In other words, PT. DI since the beginning of the true combat helicopter work. This is different than the military helicopters that have been made ​​by PT. DI before. Because PT. DI heliciopters (until now) are actually the helicopters which carried duties as an armed troop carrier, such as NAS-332 Super Puma. While serving as a glutton tanks or combat helicopters practically nothing.

Dirgantara Combat Helicopter, GANDIWA by PT. Dirgantara Indonesia (PT. DI). (Picture from: http://militery-defence.blogspot.com/)

By having experience tinkering with various types of under license helicopters, from the cold hands of Indonesian engineers were born the combat helicopter concept called Gandiwa. Similarly, the other aircraft products that made ​​by PT. DI which takes its name from the puppet story, such as the CN-235 which has a Tetuko name (first name Ghatotkacha) and also N-250 which has a name Ghatotkacha. Gandiwa in a puppet story is the arc weapon belongs to Arjuna which having the infinite numbers of arrows as a gift from god Varuna.

The base of Gandiwa was taken from the Bell-412 helicopter. (Picture from: http://militery-defence.blogspot.com/)

The base of Gandiwa was taken from the Bell-412 helicopter. Despite wearing Bell-412 base, this heli has undergone many reforms that is guaranteed to have a different shape. The most striking difference is the configuration of the cockpit completely overhauled. Gandiwa is a combat helicopter with two crews in tandem configured which is the front of the cockpit as copilot/gunner post while the rear as a pilot. With this kind of reworked cockpit glimpse Gandiwa's figure similar to the AH-1 Super Cobra helicopter which is the mainstay of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Additionally do not miss the nose of Gandiwa slight change, the helicopter nose display looks fierce with the installation of the cannon dome at the chin that can be rotated to the right and to the left to increase the flexibility of the attack. Other changes also occur in the Gandiwa body. An empty space in the middle of the body that are usually used to carry troops eliminated. With its current physical form, Gandiwa looks was more slimmer than the Bell-412. That was also to boost the maneuverability and speed of the helicopter during the attack against the enemy. Further on its right-left body, there's attached small wing (wing stub) to boost helicopters lifting power and serves as a weapon hardpoints.

Gandiwa planned using two of PT6T-3BE engines that made by Pratt and Whitney Canada, each capable of producing 900 shp. In addition, the four-rotor helicopter blades made ​​of composites is fully capable lauched up to speed 259 km/hour (161 mph).

While armament systems that can be taken by helicopter are, M230 Chain Gun, a single barrel cannon with caliber of 30 mm. While on the stub wing has four pylon weapon stations. Each of these hardpoints capable of carrying various types of weapons. For example rockets, the helicopters are able to carry the Hydra 70 rockets and CRV7 with caliber of 70 mm or anti-tank missiles, Hellfire.

The first PT. DI combat helicopter concept, Bumblebee-001 base drawn from NBO-105 light multipurpose helicopter. (Picture from: http://epicentrumworld.wordpress.com/)

The actual emergence of heli-designed with combat capability is not the first time displayed by PT. DI. At the Indodefence 2010 event, PT. DI was first showing light attack helicopter miniature under the name Bumblebee-001. The helicopter's base was taken from light multipurpose helicopters NBO-105. But for some reason (probably due to lack of funding), the heli concept stops on paper.

Are Gandiwa will also experience the same thing like that, but I am also pessimistic if this combat helicopter concept will also end up in the form of a miniature that park on the counter. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AVIASISTA]

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