HAL Prachand - Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

[Armand2REP]

Pictures or it never happend... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Solid Beast]

This would be a huge milestone for India. But I am with Armand pics or gtfo ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

PS : I am 90% sure it actually flew, 3 completely separate people told me the same thing in the span of about 2 hours. Either that or it's an elaborate online hoax which I doubt.

 

[StealthSniper]

Great news for India and also shows that India can and will be able to make things indigenously and be very successful. The Bhramos, LCH and the missiles we tested on the weekend are all successful and it's only going to get better as we focus more on our indigenous projects. Thanks Yusuf for the news.

 

[Rage]

it seems to be lacking the killer looks, where is the retractable landing gear, the tail rotor is in open configuration, it should have been enclosed. The mock up looked much better. May be it will evolve, but retractable landing gear should have been in the initial configuration..

The landing gear is not meant to be retractable. Retractable landing gear will increase the weight on the rotorcraft, a big no-no for a helciopter desperately trying to shed weight to meet the Air Force's (considerably eased) requirements. The additional weight of associated motors and machinery marginally 'outweighs' (quite literally) the weight of fixed, tricycle-type landing gear. The slow speed of the helicopter, on the other hand, (relative to aircraft) [top speed, estimated at 25kmph above the top-speed of the Dhruv] precluded necessitating its inclusion. The helicopter was a good 300-350 kgs. overweight compared to the Force's original ASQ, and prior to TD-1, its previous testbed designate, was a good 150-175 kgs. over the Air Force's amended (370 vis-à-vis 225 k.g.) weight requirement. Weight issues were supposed to have been mitigated to a limited extent with TD-1, but I don't know how and by how much.

'Course, on the other hand, the existing non-retractable landing gear will increase drag and reduce performance, but I think the Air Force is willing to accept that in exchange for greater reliability and acclivity at the high altitudes of the Himalayas or the helicopter's combat ceiling of 6000 metres.

If by 'closed tail rotor', you mean a fantail assembly tail rotor, then that was not intended either. The LCH is a direct derivative won by a wrap of a slim, tandem-seat fuselage around the existing powerplant, transmission and rotor systems of the the ALH Dhruv, which itself bore a quadruple-blade bearingless crossbeam tail-rotor mounted overtly on the starboard side of the fin. As such, the tail rotor blades were supposed to feature composite, open, bearingless construction, with the main rotor blade tips featuring BERP-style sections for increased cruise speed.

 

[san]

picture, picture please.
Seems HAL learns a lot to keep heart beat of gingoos like us high from Sukhoi

 

[Dark_Prince]

Any Valid Source (except LiveFist speculation) ?

 

[Dark_Prince]

It's made for the battlefield, not beauty pageants.

hahhah Gud Answer! Above all the design in the picture is just an initial mock up! The Final version will be fiercer!!

 

[xebex]

That's because it's a wooden mockup (Aero India 07). The real thing looks like this

Guys I wanted to share my thoughts about the design of LCH. From the scaled down model image shown above, it seems to me that the landing gear is too small to support a hard/rough landing even though they claim it can withstand a hard landing. Besides the wheels seems to be very small compared to the entire size of the helicopter. Moreover, it seems that the heli have a very small ground clearance. I may be wrong in my analysis but then again its just my view. Would be awesome if somebody could explain why is so. thanks.

 

[biju633]

Congratulations to HAL......Long live INDIA........Hip , Hip ,Hip ...................Hooray!!!!!

 

[Armand2REP]

I'm still checking the English news... nothing reported. Anything in Hindi?

 

[enlightened1]

Guys I wanted to share my thoughts about the design of LCH. From the scaled down model image shown above, it seems to me that the landing gear is too small to support a hard/rough landing even though they claim it can withstand a hard landing. Besides the wheels seems to be very small compared to the entire size of the helicopter. Moreover, it seems that the heli have a very small ground clearance. I may be wrong in my analysis but then again its just my view. Would be awesome if somebody could explain why is so. thanks.

Here's what Col. Shukla has to say about it

It has a crash-resistance capability of 10.5 m/sec, which the IAF considers absolutely necessary. I agree with them.

 

[indian_blues]

What a great year to start with. Absolutely wonderful news hope HAL release pictures or videos.

WaYaayyyy to go India.

 

[RPK]

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: LCH's Hover-Cyclic Flight At 20-metres Successful

LCH's Hover-Cyclic Flight At 20-metres Successful

The first Technology Demonstrator (TD-1) of India's Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) conducted an extended hover and slow-speed cyclic manoeuver routine yesterday at a height of a little over 20 metres. Everything went beautifully. TD-1 is not weaponised, and will be put through its full flight routines without a single weapon on board. Yesterday's flight was a confidence-building one in the run up to a formal first flight. Sources say there will be several such "confidence building" flights in the run up to the inaugural first flight in April. Wing Commander Unni Pillai piloted the LCH flight yesterday.

Sources confirmed to LiveFist, "Everything went beautifully. It was not a rigorous test, just to get the platform airborne and see how she held up in the air. Everything went fine. A degree of weight issues have been sorted out, but there is still some work to be done. That will be sorted out with TD-2 and TD-3. Now the focus is to validate the design and ensure it is a perfectly capable flying machine, which we of course know it is."

HAL has decided not to put out photos of videos of the flight, though it was , of course, photographed and videographed. Let's see what can be done!

 

[sandeepdg]

Great news, folks !! Great achievement for HAL what with all the negative publicity they have been getting for a while. But again, I am doubtful of the said 2015 date about it being inducted ! Looking forward to more details and pics.

 

[Yusuf]

Why is it so hard to imagine that it won't be ready by 15? As far as expertise goes, HAL has good as far as choppers go. The Dhruv is an example despite all the negative publicity. 5 years is a long enough time for HAL to come up with a winner.

 

[Dark_Prince]

Something like this!

Something like this!clap

 

[Yusuf]

The chopper flew at a hight of 15 mtrs and did some basic maneuvering like going forward and back and side to side, apart from other systems checks.

The 2015 deadline will be kept. I have heard sources put a 2013 deadline. The main problem is weapons integration. But one the weapons integration with the ALH is done with, it will not be difficult for it to be incorporated on the LCH. Hal will shortly complete the weaponised ALH soon for use with the IA.

 

[nirmal]

When is TD-2 expected to be rolled out in future?Will it be weaponised?

 

[Yusuf]

TD3 is going to be weaponised.

 

[Vikramaditya]

BANGALORE: India has successfully flight tested a prototype of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), designed and developed by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), a top official said Tuesday.

"The maiden test flight of the LCH Monday evening was successfully. Though it was a short haul lasting about 20 minutes, the performance was good," HAL chairman and managing director Ashok Nayak told IANS.

The 5.5-tonne attack copter is a derivative version of HAL's flagship product Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), christened Dhruv.

"We will be conducting more test flights to evaluate its various parameters at different altitudes and conditions. We are looking at reducing the weight considerably for better manoeuvrability," Nayak said.

Made of lightweight composites, the LCH can operate at high altitudes up to 6,000 metres or 18,000 feet.

The prototype was flown with Shakti engine, developed by HAL in partnership with Turbomeca, the French manufacturer of aero engines for global aerospace majors.

"Plans to launch the flight trials of LCH have been going on over the last couple of months but got delayed due to reassessment of its various functions and flight control systems," a official of the company's copter division said.

HAL plans to hard-sell about 150-175 units of the LCH to the Indian defence services, mainly Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Army, which already operates the military version of Dhruv for various functions.

Senior officials of the company's helicopter division and IAF were present at the HAL airport to witness the test fight.

The LCH will be equipped with a helmet-mounted targeting system, electronic warfare systems and advanced weapons systems.

The LCH will incorporate a number of stealth features and crash-worthy landing gear for better survivability. It will have a narrow fuselage, with two crew stations.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/India-test-flies-light-combat-chopper-successfully/articleshow/5743118.cms