CCS nod for 156 LCH Prachand; Defence Ministry inks contract with HAL worth Rs 62,700 crore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave approval for the procurement of indigenous 156 light combat helicopters (LCH) Prachand for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
FollowGiving a further fillip to 'Atmanirbharta' initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave approval for the procurement of indigenous 156 light combat helicopters (LCH) Prachand for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
Soon after the CCS approval for 156 LCH, the defence ministry and the state-plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) also inked contract on Friday worth Rs 62,700 crore, which also include other associated equipment.
The induction of LCH Prachand would further augment the operational capabilities of the forces, especially at high-altitude areas.
Currently, the Indian Air Force has been operating with 10 LCHs at Jodhpur in Rajasthan while the Indian Army with 5 at Missamari in Assam. The indigenously designed and developed light combat helicopters were Limited Series Production.
Know about LCH Prachand in detail
In June 2024, the defence ministry issued a request for proposal to the state-plane maker, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 156 LCH Prachand.
As per the RFP, of that 90 LCH ‘Prachand’ meant for the Army Aviation Corps, and 66 for the IAF.
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In 2023, the defence minister, Rajnath Singh-headed Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) on November 30, 2023, for procurement of the multi-role and two-crew cockpit LCH for the Army and the IAF under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
It must be noted that the first prototype of the LCH made its maiden sortie in March 2010 and had also successfully demonstrated its capability to land and take off from high altitudes, including the Siachen glacier.
It is the only stealth helicopter in the world which can land and take off at an altitude of 16,400 feet. It also has the capability of firing a range of air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles and can destroy enemy’s air defence platforms.
It is pertinent to mention here that the defence ministry realized the need to have stealth helicopters for the first time during the Kargil conflict 1999 to be operated at high-altitudes.
With a top speed of 288 mph and a combat radius of 500 km, the LCH Prachand’s cockpit is equipped with armored panels for the pilot and Weapon Systems Operator (WSO).
LCH has a 20-mm nose gun, and a 70-mm rocket pod, and can support the ‘Dhruvastra’ anti-tank guided missile and French ‘Mistral-2’ air-to-air missile.
It also has an electro-optical pod for surveillance and target tracking.
Besides, the combat helicopter is also fitted with advanced defence systems to counter electronic warfare -- Radar Warning Receiver, Missile Approach Warning System and Laser Warning System.
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