Indian Air Force orders 156 LCH Prachand, soon to hover over Pak-China border

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to acquire an additional 156 'Prachand' Light Combat Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), confirmed senior defence officials to ANI. These helicopters, designed, developed, and manufactured entirely in India, are poised to be deployed along the challenging borders with China and Pakistan by both the IAF and the Indian Army.

IAF’s Prachand LCH flight to self-reliance 

Additionally, the move is being hailed as a substantial push for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'AtmaNirbhar' initiative to make India more self-reliant in the defence sector. Furthermore, in the future, this proposed acquisition could lead to the Indian Armed Forces operating a fleet of 300 LCHs.

"The Indian Air Force, as the lead service, has submitted a proposal to the Government for purchasing 156 more Prachand choppers as a joint acquisition case, which is likely to be approved soon," disclosed senior defence officials to ANI. Also, on June 15 earlier this year, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Ashutosh Dixit stated, “The delivery of 10 Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Limited Series Production aircraft for the IAF is nearing completion, and the production of the Series Production aircraft is likely to commence shortly to fulfil the order of 145 Series Production LCH for the IAF and Indian Army.”

As per a recent ANI report, over the past year, trials have been conducted in some of the world's most demanding weather conditions and terrains, leading to the induction of these choppers into the services. In March 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the acquisition of 15 limited series Production (LSP) variants of LCH at the cost of ₹3,887 crore. Out of the 15 helicopters, 10 were allocated to the IAF, and five to the Army. The IAF has deployed its LSP variants of the combat helicopter in Jodhpur, near the Indo-Pak border, while the Army has stationed the first squadron of LCH just 250 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Missamari, Assam.

Prachand Helo: A game-changer for high-altitude operations

Out of the 156 helicopters, 66 are slated for induction by the Indian Air Force, with the remaining 90 being acquired by the Indian Army. This move aligns with the Government's vision of strengthening indigenous capabilities in the defence sector. What sets the Prachand apart is its capability to land and take off at an altitude of 6,000 metres (over 19000 ft), making it exceptionally well-suited for operations in the high-altitude regions of the Siachen glacier and Eastern Ladakh. Moreover, it is equipped to deploy a range of air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, enabling it to neutralise enemy air defence operations effectively.

The Prachand, as per previous reports, is slated to also be armed with the advanced 'Dhruvastra' air-to-ground missiles, designed to obliterate hardened enemy shelters in high-altitude as well as other terrains. This not only caters to domestic military needs but also positions the IAF for potential exports to friendly foreign nations. In addition to bolstering the nation's defence capabilities, the acquisition of these combat helicopters is projected to have a substantial impact on the global defence arena. Experts, as per ANI, anticipate a growing demand for India’s Prachand helicopters in international markets. 

Prachand: A concise overview of India’s LCH

The HAL-designed twin-engine LCH is a specialised 5-8 tonne combat aircraft optimised for high-altitude missions. It incorporates stealth, armour, and night attack capabilities. 

The glass cockpit, low radar cross-section, and systems like Integrated Architecture Display System (IADS), Countermeasure Dispensing System (CMDS), Electro-optical (EO) pod, and on-trial Electronic Warfare (EW) suite make it a versatile combat helicopter. Armed with a 20mm gun, rockets, and air-to-air/air-to-ground missiles, the LCH has a 5,800 kg maximum takeoff weight, a top speed of 268 km/h, a range of 550 km, and a service ceiling of 6.5 km. It is powered by two HAL/Turbomeca Shakti-1H1 engines, each with 1,032 kW power. The engines feature infrared suppressors. 

The LCH excels in various attack profiles, including high-altitude warfare, and is proficient in multiple operations like anti-infantry, anti-armour, urban warfare, and combat search and rescue. It inherits advanced rotor technology from the HAL Dhruv, boasting a narrow fuselage and stealth design. The LCH currently lacks proper integrated electronic warfare suite, a gap being addressed by ongoing DRDO development efforts.

Induction of India’s first combat helicopter

In October last year, during the Navratri festival, the LCH was inducted into the Indian Air Force and was named Prachand by Rajnath Singh, India's Defence Minister. During the induction ceremony, he said, "The induction of indigenously developed LCH will enhance our capability and boost defence production. He added,” There could not have been a better timing for the LCH induction than Navratri and in the land of warriors, Rajasthan.'' Additionally, “The induction of LCH underlines the fact that just as the country trusts the Indian Air Force, the IAF equally trusts the indigenous equipment,” he added. The ‘combat copter’ was inducted into the 143 Helicopter unit of the IAF.