President Murmu To Take Sortie on LCH Prachand Tomorrow; Inside India's First Indigenous Combat Helicopter

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu is all set to take a sortie in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ‘Prachand’ at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station on Friday morning. As per a release from the Ministry of Defence, the mission will be undertaken as a two aircraft LCH formation, with Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, flying in the second LCH.

The President who is on a two-day visit to Rajasthan, will witness Indian Air Force's Exercise Vayu Shakti. As all eyes will be on the President flying the combat helicopter on Friday, Republic takes a close look on the first indigenously manufactured chopper.

• Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), this indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter helicopter Prachand has been designed to operate across diverse terrains, ranging from deserts to high-altitude regions.
• Inducted into the Indian Air Force on October 3, 2022, Prachand is India’s first fully indigenous combat helicopter and it has been designed to operate beyond 5,000 metres.
• While most components of Prachand is designed and manufactured in India, as per the procurement plan over 65 per cent content of the chopper is said to be made-in-India.
• Prachand features a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, a crashworthy airframe, and low radar cross-section (RCS) canted panels. It is powered by an integrated dynamic system with a hingeless main rotor and bearingless tail rotor, enhancing agility and high-altitude performance.
• The chopper is equipped with an infrared (IR) suppressor, Countermeasure Dispensing System (CMDS), and an anti-resonance isolation system. Its combat suite includes an electro-optical (EO) pod, electronic warfare (EW) suite, and helmet-mounted display, allowing seamless targeting and engagement.
• Armed with a 20mm cannon, 70mm rockets, air-to-air missiles (ATAM), and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), the LCH is capable of executing precision air-to-air and air-to-ground missions effectively. 
• The maximum speed of the LCH is 268 Kmph. It has a range of 550 Km.
• Prachand has been engineered to undertake diverse combat operations, ranging from counterinsurgency missions to destroying enemy air defence systems and engaging armoured formations on the battlefield. 
• Its capability to fire both air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions ensures operational versatility across varied combat scenarios. Notably, its exceptional performance in high-altitude environments stands out as a key operational advantage, particularly in mountainous terrain.

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