HAL Prachand - Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

[Kchontha]

Looks like it's gun going to hit its own rotor blades when fire.

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[Bhadra]

Well no combat system is adequate against all threats

Enough case studies for CAS and escorts of armed rotary wing helos from Vietnam to Syria in both contested and uncontested airspace.

Armed escorts will increase the survivability probability of transports to their objective

Escort against what ? - enemy infantry / unsanitized landing zones , protecting flanks from opfor rotary wing interdiction / limited SEAD / delivering SOF troops to objective and providing cover for hot extractions etc etc

Strategies are constantly built around transport packages and refined as learning experiences go.

Do you have a sensible question to ask?
Escort helos identify and neutralize ground/air based threats!
Obviously nothing is completely 'adequate', but given the speed and flight envelope of a transport helo, an attack helo provides a decent level of protection.

A "transport operation" will be carried out in relatively air-threat safe environment unless it is carried out in support of heliborne , SOF or in support of friendly forces inside enemy territory as stated by @rkhanna or to supply a surrounded post / posts /positions within hostile environment.

Attack heptrs carrying air to air missiles are effective on hostile helicopters and may not be against a fixed wing fighter or interceptors or against look down shoot down capability fighter / interceptors. To conduct an AA interception operation a paraphernalia of radars, jammers, ECM equipment etc would be required to fitted on an attack heptrs beside all flying aids.

Its air to ground armoury is that would matter most in the situations stated. For that, an MD, Cannon, rocket pod or missiles are the weapons employed. As we have seen in Vietnam, that can be fitted on the transport helicopters themselves, though a dedicated support attack platform would be always welcome.

What is the issue at stake here is IAF retaining Attack helicopters to support transport helicopters or rather give those to the Army for better utilisation and employment for plethora of tasks.

Retaining an aerial platform for a single task which one has to carry out one or two times is not justified, IAF needing 22 Apache for SEAD, then IAF needing two squadrons of LCH / ALH etc to support transport helicopters etc is an exercise in Luxury.

IAF must learn to use Army resources in similar manner as IA uses IAF resources.

That is what was the point.

 

[Bhadra]

Do you have a sensible question to ask?
Escort helos identify and neutralize ground/air based threats!
Obviously nothing is completely 'adequate', but given the speed and flight envelope of a transport helo, an attack helo provides a decent level of protection.

FM3 -04 Army Aviation : https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-04.pdf

3-123. An air movement is the air transport of units, personnel, supplies, and equipment including airdrops and air landings (JP 1-02) and are not synonymous with air assault. Air movement operations are a viable means of transport and distribution in support of offensive, defensive, stability, and defense support of civil authorities (DSCA). Loads can be configured internally or externally depending on mission variables, and type aircraft available to conduct the air movement operation.

3-124. Air movement operations are conducted to reposition units, personnel, supplies, equipment, and other critical combat elements in support of current and/or future operations. Air movement operations allow the ground force commander to control the tempo of operations and meet the enemy force at the time and place of choice as he sets conditions. Utility and cargo helicopters supplement ground transportation to help sustain continuous offensive and defensive operations, and allow the supported commander to overcome difficult terrain and time constraints on his operations.

3-125. Assault and GS helicopter units perform air movement on a direct support (DS) or GS basis. Though air assault operations and air movement are separate missions, the planning sequence used for air assault operations with modified phases are applied to an air movement. Army Aviation FW operations require a detailed justification and validation for use and typically involve the air movement of limited critical personnel, equipment, and supplies between intra-theater airfields when deployed

What rihanna has brought out above fall in different category altogether and are not "air transport" operations.

 

[Armand2REP]

IAF needing 22 Apache for SEAD

I reject this notion, the relatively slow-flying Apaches would be quickly picked up by Chinese or Pakistani surveillance radars and then shot down by their dense defensive network of anti-air missiles, guns and fighter aircraft. The US Army could use Apaches for SEAD only in highly asymmetrical conflicts like Iraq where they enjoyed overwhelming air superiority.

 

[aarav]

Apache will only be used in anti armour role especially in Punjab

 

[Sanglamorre]

Apache will only be used in anti armour role especially in Punjab

Not against Naxals and NE terrorists?

 

[aarav]

Not against Naxals and NE terrorists?

We don't use air power against our own citizens

 

[patriots]

Looks like it's gun going to hit its own rotor blades when fire.

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Gun movement of rudra......same as lch.......

.................

 

[Kchontha]

Gun movement of rudra......same as lch.......

.................

Thanks for the information......

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[Enquirer]

FM3 -04 Army Aviation : https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-04.pdf

3-123. An air movement is the air transport of units, personnel, supplies, and equipment including airdrops and air landings (JP 1-02) and are not synonymous with air assault. Air movement operations are a viable means of transport and distribution in support of offensive, defensive, stability, and defense support of civil authorities (DSCA). Loads can be configured internally or externally depending on mission variables, and type aircraft available to conduct the air movement operation.

3-124. Air movement operations are conducted to reposition units, personnel, supplies, equipment, and other critical combat elements in support of current and/or future operations. Air movement operations allow the ground force commander to control the tempo of operations and meet the enemy force at the time and place of choice as he sets conditions. Utility and cargo helicopters supplement ground transportation to help sustain continuous offensive and defensive operations, and allow the supported commander to overcome difficult terrain and time constraints on his operations.

3-125. Assault and GS helicopter units perform air movement on a direct support (DS) or GS basis. Though air assault operations and air movement are separate missions, the planning sequence used for air assault operations with modified phases are applied to an air movement. Army Aviation FW operations require a detailed justification and validation for use and typically involve the air movement of limited critical personnel, equipment, and supplies between intra-theater airfields when deployed

What rihanna has brought out above fall in different category altogether and are not "air transport" operations.

I've no idea what you're trying to convey here...........

 

[Kchontha]

Put a small dome shaped radar on top of lch.

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[Prashant12]

CEMILAC granted initial operational clearance (IOC) to the Indian Army's version of the HAL developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on February 15, 2019.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

CEMILAC granted initial operational clearance (IOC) to the Ian Army's version of the HAL developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on February 15, 2019.

Awaiting for FOC.

 

[rkhanna]

Put a small dome shaped radar on top of lch.

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Radar would be too heavy and the lch won't be able to handle the weight.

At best it will carry an FLIR imaging pod in the rotary to conduct surveillance and scout from behind cover. ( With a loss of aerodynamic profile ofcourse )

 

[Enquirer]

Radar would be too heavy and the lch won't be able to handle the weight.

At best it will carry an FLIR imaging pod in the rotary to conduct surveillance and scout from behind cover. ( With a loss of aerodynamic profile ofcourse )

It's not a radar of the type inside Su-30MKI; what's required is a very short range radar (around 10-15kms)....which will be very light.

 

[Bhadra]

I've no idea what you're trying to convey here...........

You will never have that idea. Grapes are sour for you.... keep away.

 

[HariPrasad-1]

New engine of 1200 kilowatt power II will give advanced light helicopter, light combat helicopter a very powerful option to boost the capability of these choppers further. It will be able to perform those tasks in Himalayas which no other chopper will even think of doing.

 

[bhramos]

#CEMILAC granted initial operational clearance (IOC) to the IA version of the
@HAL
developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on February 15, 2019. Now it's waiting for #HELINA and #SANT ATGMs to finish tests so that they can be integrated and tested from LCH.

 

[abingdonboy]

CEMILAC granted initial operational clearance (IOC) to the Indian Army's version of the HAL developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on February 15, 2019.

Okay but where are those 15 LSP that HAL has been building since 2017 and that HAL promised would be delivered in 2018??

The product is very good but once again red tape and a lack of oversight seems to be destroying all momentum in this project.

 

[ezsasa]

Okay but where are those 15 LSP that HAL has been building since 2017 and that HAL promised would be delivered in 2018??

The product is very good but once again red tape and a lack of oversight seems to be destroying all momentum in this project.

apparently ....
Despite LCH being a priority project, it's not on
@HALHQBLR
order book yet. An order for 15 LSP LCHs (10 for the IAF, 5 for the IA) has been cleared by MoD but not placed because HAL hasn't been able to integrate an ATGM,