HAL Prachand - Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

[bhramos]

I dont know why the sensors are placed on top of the chin. I think bottom of the chin is a more versatile place.

T-129

may be this is your answer.
they are only used for Rockets and Missiles, for this they need some space naa.

 

[mattster]

Yes, I too don't understand why they placed the FLIR there. I will not be able to see below the chopper directly ahead, unless the target is some distance away. Moreso, the blind spot increases with the Chopper's altitude.

Yes, there are a couple of things that are really wierd about this pic.

Besides the FLIR being mounted on top. The other thing that struck me is that that the wheels seem to be really small for something the size and weight of this. They seem to be really under-sized.

Also the struts for the front wheels also look weak. I hope that they dont have a rough landing on that.

And finally the clearance from the ground to the frame is very low unless the frame for the wheels can rotate to create a higher clearance.

 

[StealthSniper]

This is great news. Hopefully the testing goes well for the LCH and India continues it's drive for indigenization with more successful projects in the future.

 

[Vladimir79]

good going HAL ;Wishing for the best here, this baby should crush any Chinese armor thrust in the Himalayan theater.:goodstuff:

What is the flight ceiling? Is it good enough to operate in the Himalayas?

 

[bengalraider]

What is the flight ceiling? Is it good enough to operate in the Himalayas?

The LCH has a designed combat ceiling of 6000meters making it the only attack helicopter that can operate in the Himalayas with a combat load.

 

[K Factor]

T-129

may be this is your answer.
they are only used for Rockets and Missiles, for this they need some space naa.

As far as I think, the cannon will interfere with the FoV of the FLIR sensor for it but in this the angle of the sensor looks better, with more area covered directly ahead below the chopper.

Other choppers for reference.
Apache

Mi-35

Mi 28N

Augusta Mangusta

Rooivalk

 

[enlightened1]

The LCH has a designed combat ceiling of 6000meters making it the only attack helicopter that can operate in the Himalayas with a combat load.

Actually it's 6500 meters:twizt:

Have they thought about naming it yet?

 

[sayareakd]

Good news, best of luck HAL, this is first prototype that will fly, i am sure that it will complete all test in time, as most of the system are common with ALH Dhruv.

I cant wait to see the second Prototype that will be weaponised. If all goes well IA should order 100 LCH.

 

[enlightened1]

It's combat range & ceiling is slightly better than that of the Apache (480 Km & 6400 m respectively) while it totally outclasses the Eurocopter Tiger's 4000m ceiling. Has a better rate of climb & also being lighter, it uses more powerful engines than the Tiger.
:goodstuff::goodstuff:

 

[enlightened1]

If all goes well IA should order 100 LCH.

The following is from Ajai Shukla's BROADSWORD

...the figure of 179 LCHs includes the 65 that the IAF is buying, while the army is interested in picking up 114 LCHs.

 

[hit&run]

Is it true that cockpit is imported from Israel? Please enlighten me. Thanks in advance.

 

[sayareakd]

enlightened1 your link information is even better.........

 

[enlightened1]

^^
some MFDs yes, but that is temporary!!
The following is from Ajai Shukla's BROADSWORD

The newly created Helicopter Complex has set up a Mission and Combat Systems R&D Centre, or MCSRDC, which is focusing on developing indigenous glass cockpits for the range of helicopters that HAL intends to churn out, starting with the LCH.

[A glass cockpit refers to the tidy digital multi-function display that replaces the earlier clutter of dials and instruments that made flying so difficult.]

So far, HAL has imported the glass cockpit displays from Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Sagem, of France. But with a range of helicopters in the making --- including 179 LCHs; 187 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH); and 400 or so Medium Lift Helicopters (MLH) --- there is a need, HAL believes, to develop its own glass cockpits.

 

[sayareakd]

any Network centric capabilites so that it can recive imputs from AWAC when used in anti tank role ???

 

[enlightened1]

any Network centric capabilites so that it can recive imputs from AWAC when used in anti tank role ???

Attack choppers don't receive data from AEW&C..they don't need to. They usually communicate between themselves (a group of choppers on a mission) or with scout choppers & you need data-link for that so yes, the LCH should have network centric features.

 

[Sridhar]

The first flight may be in 8-10 weeks .

Nayak said the light combat helicopter developed by HAL is all set for its maiden flight. "It is expected to fly pretty soon. Maybe a couple of weeks... Eight-ten weeks."

HAL to invest Rs 25,000 cr in next 10 years

 

[Sridhar]

Though the LCH was to take-off by August, HAL announced in September that the first flight would take place by this year-end or early January, as its overall weight had to be reduced by about 20 percent (580) kg.
“We have overcome the weight problem. The target weight will be achieved for a successful test flight,” a HAL copter division official told IANS later.

Read more: Hindustan Aeronautics to fly light combat chopper soon
​

 

[sandeepdg]

Yes, there are a couple of things that are really wierd about this pic.

Besides the FLIR being mounted on top. The other thing that struck me is that that the wheels seem to be really small for something the size and weight of this. They seem to be really under-sized.

Also the struts for the front wheels also look weak. I hope that they dont have a rough landing on that.

And finally the clearance from the ground to the frame is very low unless the frame for the wheels can rotate to create a higher clearance.

This is the a technology demonstrator (TD-1), there will be another one TD-2, and finally the actual operational helicopter. As this is a prototype, I am sure all considerations will be considered by the DRDO before it is made operational since it is primarily to be used in mountainous regions and hence must be sturdily built.

 

[enlightened1]

 

[Sridhar]

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Initial Operational Clearance in 2011 for Light Combat Helicopter



A K Antony replied in Rayja Sabha today:
The first prototype (technology demonstrator) of the Light Combat Helicopter s (LCH) is expected to get the initial operation clearance by around mid 2011.The design and development of the programme was approved in October 2006.

There is a proposal for export of indigenously developed helicopters. HAL has exported five numbers of the indigenously developed Helicopters Dhruv to Ecuador and one to Mauritius.


Photos: Suman Sharma/MAKC-2009

Chindits: Initial Operational Clearance in 2011 for Light Combat Helicopter