India Issues RFP for 156 Indigenous Light Combat Helicopters Amid Fleet Expansion for IAF and Army

New Delhi: In a significant advancement for India's indigenous defence manufacturing, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announced on Monday that the Defence Ministry has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH). The HAL LCH is a versatile combat helicopter designed to perform a variety of attack profiles, including operations at high altitudes. The design and development of the LCH were carried out internally by HAL's Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre (RWR&DC), a specialized office focused on helicopter design.  

Equipped with a tandem cockpit to accommodate a pilot and co-pilot/gunner, the LCH is designed to undertake both anti-infantry and anti-armour missions. Beyond these roles, the helicopter is intended for diverse operational purposes, such as air defence against slow-moving aerial targets (including manned aircraft and UAVs), participation in counter-insurgency (COIN) and counter-surface force operations (CSFO), destruction of enemy air defence, and offensive use in urban warfare. Additionally, it supports special heliborne operations (SHBO), combat search and rescue (CSAR), and armed aerial scouting duties.  

RFP Issued for 156 Light Combat Helicopters  

"In terms of Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we would like to inform you that a request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by the Ministry of Defence for the procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopter (90 nos. for IA and 66 nos. for IAF)," HAL stated in a regulatory filing on Monday. The tender, valued at over Rs 45,000 crore, aims to equip the Indian Army (IA) with 90 helicopters and the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 66.

The LCH, also known as Prachand, is the world's sole attack helicopter capable of landing and taking off at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 ft), making it particularly suitable for high-altitude operations in the Siachen Glacier and Eastern Ladakh. It is equipped to fire a variety of air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, and it can effectively neutralize enemy air defence operations. This capability is crucial for India's defence strategy in its mountainous northern regions.  

Advancing Self-Reliance in Defence  

This move is part of the Indian government's broader push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives. The government's emphasis on indigenous production has led to substantial investments in domestic defence capabilities. For instance, in April this year, the Defence Ministry issued a tender to HAL for the procurement of 97 made-in-India LCA Mark 1A fighter jets, a deal expected to be worth over Rs 65,000 crore.

HAL's in-house design and development efforts, particularly through its RWR&DC, have been instrumental in advancing the country's aerospace and defence technology. On 1 June 2022, an attack squadron was raised by the Army Aviation Corps in Bangalore. A total of seven squadrons are planned, each with ten helicopters. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally inducted HAL Prachand into the 143 Helicopter Unit at Jodhpur Air Force Station on 3 October 2022. By November 2022, the Army had moved two LCHs to Missmari in Assam, 250 km (160 mi) from the Line of Actual Control, planning to increase the number to five by January. Army variants of the helicopter are armed with a 20 mm nose gun, 70 mm rockets, helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missiles, and a new air-to-air missile different from the Mistral 2 missile used on the Air Force variant.