Made-in-India chopper adds firepower to IAF

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday inducted the indigenously built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), adding to its capabilities for conducting combat operations at high altitudes and buttressing the country’s reputation for developing home-grown military hardware.

The first fleet of four LCHs was inducted into IAF during a ceremony at Jodhpur airbase in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, and senior military officials. The helicopter, under development since 2006, was renamed Prachand (fierce) following its induction.

Singh, who made a 20-minute sortie in the helicopter, said the LCH can fly in any terrain, weather, or altitude. “Our motto is ‘make in India, make for the world’,” he said. Singh noted that the helicopter’s name is testimony to its lethality and versatility. “There is no need to define Prachand, the LCH itself is capable of sending out a message to the enemy,” he said.

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While India’s military possesses foreign attack helicopters such as the US-made Apaches and a limited number of Russian-made Mi-24s, the LCH was developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) specifically for combat operations at high altitudes – a need for such a helicopter was first felt during the Kargil border conflict in 1999.

The 5.8-tonne twin-engine gunship helicopter is armed with a 20mm gun, air-to-air missiles, rockets, and other weapons. It will be an effective platform for targeting tanks, bunkers and drones in high-altitude areas, military officials said.

Addressing the induction ceremony, Singh said this was a “momentous occasion” and an “important milestone” for indigenous defence production. “We have been focusing on boosting the country’s defence production following certain developments...security of the country has been our foremost priority and it will remain so,” he said, speaking in Hindi.

“For a long time, a need was felt in the country for an indigenous attack helicopter. But in 1999, during the Kargil war, its need was felt with great seriousness,” he said. The LCH passed numerous tests during its development and meets all the needs of the armed forces in different terrains, making it an ideal platform for the army and air force, he added.

The LCH’s induction dovetails with the government’s current focus on indigenisation of a wide range of military equipment that India has so far acquired from abroad. These moves have also boosted the exports of homegrown systems and platforms, such as the advanced light helicopter Dhruv.

Singh said the LCH will increase IAF’s capabilities and is a big step towards self-reliance in defence production. He emphasised IAF’s role in inducting indigenously developed hardware, ranging from the Akash missile system to the light combat aircraft Tejas.

“Whether it is the Ukraine conflict or earlier conflicts, they give us lessons that heavy weapon systems and platforms that cannot move rapidly in the battlefield have a lower capability and sometimes become an easy target for the enemy. Recent conflicts have resulted in a question mark about the use of heavy [weapons],” he said.

This has highlighted the need for defence platforms that are mobile, capable of easy movement and have more flexibility and lethality, he said while lauding HAL for its achievements with the LCH.

Reiterating the government’s pledge to provide the armed forces with the best platforms for meeting national security needs, Singh said: “Whatever be the global geopolitical scenario, it is our important responsibility to keep national security prepared 24x7. In view of the events of past few years, our government has focused on self-reliance in defence production and preparedness.”

Chaudhari said the LCH’s capabilities are at par with other helicopters of the same class around the world.

The LCH’s were given a traditional water-cannon salute after a multi-religion prayer ceremony.

The need for a light combat helicopter for mountain warfare was felt acutely during the Kargil war, when the military’s existing fleet of Chetak helicopters were very vulnerable to fire from Pakistani troops that occupied strategic heights along the Line of Control (LoC).

The IAF and HAL worked jointly on developing a helicopter capable of operating at altitudes of more than 15,000 feet while carrying an adequate weapons load and fuel. By mid-2010, the LCH prototype completed flight tests and met the required parameters.

The LCH was declared ready for production in February 2020, and subsequently, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 15 limited series production helicopters at a cost of ₹3,887 crore. The defence ministry said 10 of these helicopters were for the IAF and the remainder for the army. The army also has a plan to acquire 95 LCHs.

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The LCH shares several features with the advanced light helicopter Dhruv, also developed by the HAL, including the engines. What sets the LCH apart are its stealth features such as a narrower fuselage, lower profile and reduced aural, radar and infrared signatures, armour protection, night attack capabilities and crash-worthy landing gear and fuel tanks for better survivability.

The LCH is capable of performing in multiple roles, including combat search and rescue, destruction of enemy air defence (DEAD) and counter-insurgency operations. The helicopter can be deployed both at high altitudes and in jungles and urban environments, officials said.

Several key technologies used in the LCH, such as the glass cockpit and composite airframe, have already been indigenised and future versions will incorporate more indigenous systems, they added.

Sameer Patil, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), said: “The induction of LCH Prachand into the IAF is a milestone in India’s quest for defence self-reliance. It imparts a critical capability, fulfilled by only imported equipment so far. The LCH’s technical specifications put India in an exclusive club producing such an advanced helicopter. It will be particularly useful for close combat operations and counter-insurgency missions. Moreover, it’s a valuable addition to India’s defence exports portfolio as and when HAL fulfils the Indian military’s requirements.”