Indian Army Aviation Wing

Super falcon

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Bros I want to know why India considered and bought apaches over all weather friends MI 28 which is similar helicopter

Pakistan was also interested to get them infact pakistan was in preliminary talks when discussion were on MI 35 halos deal with Russia but change in command make things difficult to get MI 28

 

abingdonboy

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Bros I want to know why India considered and bought apaches over all weather friends MI 28 which is similar helicopter

Pakistan was also interested to get them infact pakistan was in preliminary talks when discussion were on MI 35 halos deal with Russia but change in command make things difficult to get MI 28

The AH-64E is by far the most advanced attack helicopter on the planet
 

karn

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Bros I want to know why India considered and bought apaches over all weather friends MI 28 which is similar helicopter

Pakistan was also interested to get them infact pakistan was in preliminary talks when discussion were on MI 35 halos deal with Russia but change in command make things difficult to get MI 28

There were competitive trials .. don't know the specifics but Russian aviation suffers from low reliability engines in general so we are trying to move away from that .
 

binayak95

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There were competitive trials .. don't know the specifics but Russian aviation suffers from low reliability engines in general so we are trying to move away from that .
And they suffered from endurance and payload penalties in Leh Ladakh compared to the Apaches
 

Fatalis

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IA will procure 95 LCH and 110 LUH. The overall requirement of light helicopter is around 259. Previously, IA had hoped of dividing this number between LUH and Ka-226T by procuring 126 LUH and 133 Ka-226T but since the chances of Ka-226T are now very slim so there is probability that more LUH will be ordered.
 

SilentlAssassin265

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IA will procure 95 LCH and 110 LUH. The overall requirement of light helicopter is around 259. Previously, IA had hoped of dividing this number between LUH and Ka-226T by procuring 126 LUH and 133 Ka-226T but since the chances of Ka-226T are now very slim so there is probability that more LUH will be ordered.
Did they place orders yet?
 

WolfPack86

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Looking at procuring nearly 200 combat & utility helicopters, says Army chief at Aero India
Bengaluru: The Army is looking at procuring nearly 95 Prachand Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) for mountain warfare, as well as nearly 110 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) to replace the ageing Cheetahs and Chetaks, Army chief Gen. Manoj Pande said Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero India event in Bengaluru, he said that while the Army is getting an initial lot of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) from HAL, it has sought certain improvements such as autopilot capability.

In addition, the Army expects to get all six American Apache attack helicopters it has ordered in 2024, and any further additional orders will depend on how the Prachands shape up, Gen. Pande said in answer to ThePrint’s question.

“We have the combat aviation arm, which is equipped with the weaponised Advanced Light Helicopters and is known as the ALH WSI. There are about 45 such helicopters. We currently have five LCHs, of which three have been delivered. We are looking at a total of about 90-95 LCHs,” he said while speaking to a group of reporters here.

The Army chief added that the LCH is very versatile in terms of manoeuvrability and has been found to be “better suited for high altitude”. The LCHs are largely for the mountains, he said.

ThePrint had reported that while both the IAF and the Army have raised their first squadron of LCHs, the helicopter lacks its main arsenal and protection suites for now and will take time to be fully operational.

The LCH helicopter — also known as the tank buster — will get its anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) only by mid-2023. And while it is integrated with air-to-air missile launchers, the missile has not been ordered yet, sources in the defence and security establishment had told ThePrint.

Relevance of helicopters in warfare
The Army chief said that the anti-tank missile selected for the LCHs was the indigenous Helina, which has cleared trials.

“But the integration of the missile with the weapons platform is very important and that is something that we are very keen on,” he said.

Speaking about the indigenous LUHs, the Army chief said they fall in the category of recce and observation.

The Army has about 250 Cheetahs and Chetaks, which will be replaced by the LUHs, Gen. Pande said. Although the Army is looking at about 110 of these, he added, that number will increase with time.

Asked if the Army was relying too much on attack helicopters — which have proved to be a disaster in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war — Gen. Pande said that helicopters would have relevance in warfare in the future. It’s a constant game between helicopters and anti-helicopter systems, he added, just as it is with tanks and anti-tank systems.

“The new helicopters will have a number of suites to operate in contested environments,” he said.

The Army chief also said that indigenisation of air defence guns was a priority for the force and that integrated electronic warfare systems are being tested along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
 

abingdonboy

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Looking at procuring nearly 200 combat & utility helicopters, says Army chief at Aero India
Bengaluru: The Army is looking at procuring nearly 95 Prachand Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) for mountain warfare, as well as nearly 110 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) to replace the ageing Cheetahs and Chetaks, Army chief Gen. Manoj Pande said Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero India event in Bengaluru, he said that while the Army is getting an initial lot of six Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) from HAL, it has sought certain improvements such as autopilot capability.

In addition, the Army expects to get all six American Apache attack helicopters it has ordered in 2024, and any further additional orders will depend on how the Prachands shape up, Gen. Pande said in answer to ThePrint’s question.

“We have the combat aviation arm, which is equipped with the weaponised Advanced Light Helicopters and is known as the ALH WSI. There are about 45 such helicopters. We currently have five LCHs, of which three have been delivered. We are looking at a total of about 90-95 LCHs,” he said while speaking to a group of reporters here.

The Army chief added that the LCH is very versatile in terms of manoeuvrability and has been found to be “better suited for high altitude”. The LCHs are largely for the mountains, he said.

ThePrint had reported that while both the IAF and the Army have raised their first squadron of LCHs, the helicopter lacks its main arsenal and protection suites for now and will take time to be fully operational.

The LCH helicopter — also known as the tank buster — will get its anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) only by mid-2023. And while it is integrated with air-to-air missile launchers, the missile has not been ordered yet, sources in the defence and security establishment had told ThePrint.

Relevance of helicopters in warfare
The Army chief said that the anti-tank missile selected for the LCHs was the indigenous Helina, which has cleared trials.

“But the integration of the missile with the weapons platform is very important and that is something that we are very keen on,” he said.

Speaking about the indigenous LUHs, the Army chief said they fall in the category of recce and observation.

The Army has about 250 Cheetahs and Chetaks, which will be replaced by the LUHs, Gen. Pande said. Although the Army is looking at about 110 of these, he added, that number will increase with time.

Asked if the Army was relying too much on attack helicopters — which have proved to be a disaster in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war — Gen. Pande said that helicopters would have relevance in warfare in the future. It’s a constant game between helicopters and anti-helicopter systems, he added, just as it is with tanks and anti-tank systems.

“The new helicopters will have a number of suites to operate in contested environments,” he said.

The Army chief also said that indigenisation of air defence guns was a priority for the force and that integrated electronic warfare systems are being tested along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
What a bunch of jokers

more Apaches depends on LCH- so if it is adequate they’ve spent $900m on 6 AH-64E white elephants? That’s not even 1 HU worth of birds, how do they expect to keep trained personnel on such a tiny fleet?

250+ Cheetah/Chetak to replace=let’s order just 110 and make HAL beg for any more/we are leaving the door open for KA226

no matter how aggressive the commies get these golf enthusiasts don’t seem to get any sense of urgency
 

samsaptaka

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I detect already red flags in his statements
it has sought certain improvements such as autopilot capability.
Compared to outdated chetak cheetah, the LUH is a rolls royce, yet looks like they will not induct them in numbers unless the autopilot is implemented.

and has been found to be “better suited for high altitude”. The LCHs are largely for the mountains, he said.
So ? you won't use prachand for normal plains/deserts is it ? It won't work there is it ? So you will proceed to import more apaches for plains and deserts ?

Import Army to the T
 

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