India’s latest Prachand light combat helicopters (LCH) will come with enhanced lethality and survivability in combat, with aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) preparing to equip them with a raft of new features that will boost the capability of the army and air force to address challenges of the future battlefield, two senior officials associated with the ₹62,700-crore project said on Friday.
The new helicopters will have seven new systems, including weapons, and at least four significant upgrades over the existing limited series production (LSP) Prachand helicopters operated by the two services.
The new features in the series production LCH will include locally-made air-to-ground missiles, laser-guided rockets, modern electronic warfare systems, nuclear detection capability, a datalink for secure communication with other platforms, obstacle avoidance system and directed infrared countermeasures, the officials said asking not to be named.
“The enhanced capabilities will broaden the LCH’s mission spectrum. Most of the new systems and those being upgraded will be indigenous,” said one of the officials cited above.
The defence ministry signed two contracts with HAL on March 28 for 156 Prachand helicopters --- 90 for the army and 66 for the Indian Air Force, a shot in the arm for the government’s ‘atmabirbharta’ (self-reliance) drive and a significant step to boost the capabilities of the two services. HAL will begin delivering the helicopters in 2027-28 and wrap up the order five years thereafter. It has so far manufactured and delivered 15 LSP Prachand helicopters to the IAF (10) and army (5), equipped with air-to-air missiles, unguided rockets and turret guns.
“The systems that will be upgraded include the electro-optical pod for better surveillance, tracking and targeting, and the helmet-mounted pointing system to boost pilot performance. Work is in full swing to enhance the LCH’s capabilities,” said the second official.
{{/usCountry}}“The systems that will be upgraded include the electro-optical pod for better surveillance, tracking and targeting, and the helmet-mounted pointing system to boost pilot performance. Work is in full swing to enhance the LCH’s capabilities,” said the second official.
{{/usCountry}}The new systems and upgrades are expected to be in place over the next 18 months, HT has learnt. LCH currently has an indigenous content of 45% by value, which will progressively increase to more than 65% for the last of the series production version.
The helicopter, which can operate at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres, has been designed to perform a raft of missions such as destruction of enemy air defences, it can target slow moving aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft, destroy high-altitude bunkers, carry out counter-insurgency operations in jungle and urban environments and provide support to ground forces.
This LCH programme will involve more than 250 local firms and is expected to generate more than 8,500 direct and indirect jobs. The helicopters will be built at HAL’s new Tumakuru facility in Karnataka. In February 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility at Tumakuru, around 70 km from Bengaluru.
Apart from the LCH, the new HAL factory, spread across 615 acres, is expected to produce the light utility helicopter, and the future 13-tonne Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH) and its deck-based version. It is capable of producing 30 helicopters a year and production can be increased to 100 units of different types with additional investment depending on orders.
The LCH is among the military platforms on one of the government’s positive indigenisation lists, which seek to ban the import of different types of weapons, systems and ammunition over the next five years to boost self-reliance in defence.
Last year, the defence ministry slapped an import ban on 98 weapons and systems including futuristic infantry combat vehicles, ship-borne unmanned aerial systems, medium-range precision kill systems, a variety of ammunition, radars, sensors, and equipment for fighter jets, maritime surveillance planes, warships, helicopters and tanks. That was the fifth positive indigenisation list published by the government and took the number of major defence items placed under an import ban to 509.
India has taken several measures during the last five to six years to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. Apart from a series of phased import bans, these steps include creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) from 49% to 74% and improving ease of doing business.