Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally inducts the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) "Prachand" into the Indian Air Force, in Jodhpur, Monday. (PTI)The Indian Air Force on Monday formally inducted the indigenously-built multi-role Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Prachand, which is capable of destructing enemy air defence and counter insurgency operations in high altitude battlefields.
The first batch of the LCH — whose name Prachand, which means fierce, was announced during the induction ceremony — is being inducted into the IAF’s 143 Helicopter Unit located at the Jodhpur Air Force Station. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the induction ceremony along with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.
The Defence Minister also took a sortie in the helicopter after the induction.
The formal induction of the LCH comes months after the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved in March the procurement of 15 LCH Limited Series Production (LSP) at a cost of Rs 3,887 crore along with allied infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore.
Of the 15 helicopters being procured from the LSP, 10 are for the IAF and five more for the Indian Army. LCH is a 5.5-tonne class dedicated combat helicopter designed and developed by state-owned aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
In his address at the induction ceremony, the Defence Minister said, “The induction of the LCH symbolises that the way the nation trusts the Indian Air Force, the Air Force too trusts indigenously developed weapons and systems…. its induction is an important milestone in our journey of indigenous defence production. LCH’s glorious flight is not just powered by the rotors, engines and blades but also by the dedication, courage and patriotism of the scientists, engineers and others who worked on it.”
#WATCH | The first indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) inducted into Indian Air Force at Jodhpur, in the presence of Defence minister Rajnath Singh and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari pic.twitter.com/sh3fqkTprg
— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2022
Rajnath further said , “I have been told the LCH has been designed for the requirements of the modern day battlefield.”
The LCH has a narrow fuselage because of the tandem cockpit configuration for the pilot and co-pilot gunner — one behind the other — and has a number of stealth features, armour protection, night-attack capability and crash-worthy landing gear for better survivability.
The Ministry of Defence has said that the LSP version of the LCH has around 45 per cent indigenous content by value which will progressively increase to more than 55 per cent for Series Production Version. The IAF has said that the LCH induction marks India becoming the seventh country in the world to make attack helicopters.
In his speech, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said, “Induction of LCH adds a unique capability to IAF’s combat potential. Versatility and offensive protection of this platform is at par or better among attack helicopters available globally. 143 Helicopter Unit has the proud privilege to be the first LCH equipped in the armed forces.”
HAL Chairman and Managing Director CB Ananthakrishnan said, “LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can fly and take off at an altitude of 5,000 metres with considerable weapons and fuel load meeting the specific requirement of armed forces. Production of the LCH has been envisaged through participation of public and private sector partners. More than 250 vendors are involved in manufacturing of components, assemblies, fixtures, etc.” Ananthakrishnan said out of the supply of 10 helicopters to IAF in the Limited Production series, four have already been delivered and remaining will be delivered by the end of the financial year.