HAL Prachand - Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

Angad Singh

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We are fairly well off as far as the helicopter fleet of the IAF is concerned. Future inductions are the Chinook and the Apache, both of which are being imported from the USA and will not be made in India. The quantity envisaged for these platforms is 15 Chinooks and 22 Apache’s. The former is a heavy-lift helicopter and the latter is for employment in the attack role. In addition, we are looking into getting an additional 48 MI-17-B5s from Russia, which is already in use by the IAF. This will form a large chunk of our helicopter fleet.

With respect to the Apaches, which are attack helicopters, I do not believe that there will be any coordination issue with the Army. All the Apache’s will be under the Army control, in the same manner as the MI 35 is today. The men in Blue fly with Army formation signs on their shoulder and they operate under the functional control of the Army. This is an ongoing arrangement and has been in force for long. I do not see any problem with such an arrangement which also highlights the joint manship in the forces. There is no dichotomy in having Apaches in the Army and in the IAF. I think they can go hand in hand.

As far as the Make in India initiative goes in the helicopter fleet, we have a wide range of helicopter variants all of which the IAF is procuring in small quantities or more. We have the Cheetal which is an upgraded Cheetah aircraft. We also have the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) for which the RFP response is being evaluated, and we hope to have the contract signed within the next six to eight months. The Light Utility Helicopter is also being developed, which I believe will be a true replacement along with the Kamov for the Chetak helicopter, including its training role, which we do. The IAF is also fully supporting the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter. This is an aircraft which is being developed by HAL. We believe this aircraft will replace the MI-17, the MI-17-1V and the MI-17-V5 in future as and when these aircraft complete their total technical life.

https://saluteindia.org/military-modernisation-indian-air-force/ written by Air Marshal R. Nambiar
 

abingdonboy

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Well well well, what do we have here?


Confirmation of what all Knowledgeable journalists and insiders have been saying. HAL has commenced production for LCH in expectation of formal contract from IA/IAF.

Means when IA/IAF formally place order HAL will deliver first units in months instead of years
 

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ladder

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Well well well, what do we have here?


Confirmation of what all Knowledgeable journalists and insiders have been saying. HAL has commenced production for LCH in expectation of formal contract from IA/IAF.

Means when IA/IAF formally place order HAL will deliver first units in months instead of years
There are some major deals in final stages to be awarded to Indian companies which include Pinaka rocket launchers, Light Combat Aircraft, Mk-1A, Light Combat Helicopter and towed artillery guns among others. Together deals worth ₹70,000-80,000 crore to be signed in the next one year, he added.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...-crore-akash-sam-contract/article29442008.ece
 

Bleh

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Well well well, what do we have here?

Confirmation of what all Knowledgeable journalists and insiders have been saying. HAL has commenced production for LCH in expectation of formal contract from IA/IAF.

Means when IA/IAF formally place order HAL will deliver first units in months instead of years
HAL has begun production of 15 #LCH even before contract made so that users (Army & IAF) dont have to wait for delivery, so within one year of making contract delivery wuld began

THIS!!! This is how all PSUs should behave... :india:

(Frankly HAL should have done this for Tejas too, maybe they did... Heard about Mark 1A metal cutting already begun)
 
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Akula

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I hope they use better camo on both IAF and IA LCH's. Black camo doesn't make sense example:- Army's Rudra.
 

Bleh

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I hope they use better camo on both IAF and IA LCH's. Black camo doesn't make sense example:- Army's Rudra.
This one was best... Don't know why the replaced it with the grey-black polygons!
 

Bleh

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Also enemy will see it from below against the contrast of sky . Grey colour is difficult to spot that way.
Yes, accept it should be Airforce's plain grey in the plains where enemy will always be below it & digicamo in mountains (where it may use elevate terrain for cover).
 

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