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The squadron was raised in the presence of Army Aviation’s director general Lt Gen Ajay Suri. The delivery, initially scheduled to begin in February, was delayed, with the first three Apaches now expected in May.

Under a Rs 13,952 crore deal signed with the US in September 2015, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has already inducted 22 Boeing-manufactured Apache helicopters. The Army, under a separate Rs 5,691 crore deal inked in February 2020, will receive six choppers.

Often referred to as “tanks in the air,” the Apache helicopters are equipped with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns, and rockets. They are primarily intended to provide integrated combat aviation cover for the ‘strike corps’ of the Army.

In coming years, both the Army and the IAF are set to induct 156 indigenous Prachand light combat helicopters. These helicopters are capable of offensive operations in high-altitude areas such as the Siachen Glacier and eastern Ladakh. Fifteen such choppers (10 IAF and 5 Army) have already been inducted under the first Rs 3,887 crore contract for them.

Recognised as the world’s most advanced combat helicopter, featuring an advanced night vision system and the capability to arm missiles that can strike 138 targets in a minute, the Apache AH-64E is a formidable force in the sky with a maximum speed of 280 km/h.

The Apache AH-64E, equipped with AGM 114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles and Stinger missiles, is prepared to handle both ground and aerial threats. The Hellfire missiles are particularly effective against armoured vehicles like tanks and BMPs, while the Stinger missiles are designed to neutralise airborne threats. Additionally, the helicopter is armed with Hydra-70 unguided missiles, which can effectively target ground-based threats.

Light Utility Helicopters

The Army has placed an order for the HAL Light Utility Helicopter under limited series production. The helicopter will replace the fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.[62] The Indian Army requires 394 light helicopters, which the Defence Ministry decided to meet in two purchases. To meet immediate requirements, 197 light helicopters would be procured on the international market; Hindustan Aeronautics Limited would develop and manufacture 187 HAL Light Utility Helicopter, of which 126 would be for the Indian Army.

Recognised as the world’s most advanced combat helicopter, featuring an advancednight vision system and the capability to arm missiles that can strike 138 targets in a minute, the Apache AH-64E is a formidable force in the sky with a maximum speed of 280 km/h.

The Corps of Army Aviation holds a large number of ageing aircraft like the Cheetah and Chetak, which need replacement by modern helicopters. The role of the corps continues to remain reconnaissance and observation. The absence of medium and heavy lift helicopters, which continues to remain with the Air Force, results in a deficiency of the tactical lift capability. Lack of fixed wing aircraft, when the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and paramilitary forces have them affects functions like command and control, staff transport, logistics, casualty evacuation and communication.

The Army Aviation Corps has several squadrons. In addition, there are several Reconnaissance and Observation (R&O) flights that operate independently and are not attached to any squadrons. These are equipped with Dhruv Utility helicopters, Rudra ALH-WSI helicopters, Prachand Light Combat helicopter, Chetak and Cheetah Utility Helicopters.

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On the sidelines of Aero-India Gen Pande told a group of journalists the army would be inducting the LCHs for deployment in narrow valleys in high-altitude areas as the rotary wing of home-grown combat aircraft has better manoeuvrability for mountainous regions.

He said the army needs around 110 light utility helicopters (LUH) and 90 to 95 light combat helicopters (LCH) that will be built by state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

LUH will replace the army and the Indian Air Force’s ageing fleets of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. HAL expects the army and IAF to place combined orders for at least 187 light helicopters in the coming years. Currently, the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters are a critical lifeline for troops in high-altitude areas, including the Siachen glacier.

The army has already ordered six limited series production LUH and repeat orders will follow based on the performance of the first lot of helicopters, Pande said. “We need it to be equipped with some more capabilities. HAL is working on it,” the army chief said.

HAL has already been awarded a contract for 15 limited series production LCH – 10 for IAF and five for the army. The plane maker expects follow-on orders as the army and IAF have a combined projected requirement of 160 such helicopters. LCH has an indigenous content of 45% by value, which will progressively increase to more than 55% for the series production version.

The LCH is the right fit for the army’s requirements in the mountains, Pande said. He said integrating the locally developed anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Helina, with the LCH is a priority.

The 5.8-tonne twin-engine chopper is capable of destroying enemy tanks, bunkers, drones and other assets in high-altitude regions. The helicopter possesses modern stealth characteristics, robust armour protection and formidable night attack capability. It is capable of operating even in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield.

The army is also set to induct next year six Apache AH64E attack helicopters, he said. The Boeing-manufactured helicopters cost upwards of ₹4,100 crore. Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritise threats. The missiles equip the gunships with heavy anti-armour capabilities.

IMRH, which will also be manufactured at Tumakuru factory, is expected to compete with Russian Mi-17 choppers in both Indian and foreign markets. HAL says the platform could have a huge market as nearly 40 air forces across the world operate Mi-17 type helicopters. The Mi-17 is the mainstay of the IAF’s transport fleet.

The Army Aviation Corps – often described as the Indian Army’s mini air force and was a subject of cold war between the Indian Army and IAF – currently operates four squadrons of weaponised versions of Advanced Lightweight Helicopters besides the Cheetahs and Chetaks.

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Bengaluru-headquartered HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonne with a total business of more than Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years at this facility in Gubbi taluk, officials said.

The factory, spread across 615 acres for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH)).

It will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much-needed fillip to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture, they said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior officials of Ministry of Defence were among those present on the occasion.

“It is a dedicated new greenfield helicopter factory which will enhance India’s capacity and ecosystem to build helicopters,” Singh said.

PM Modi unveiled the LUH, which has been flight tested. The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-tonne class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year and can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 every year in a phased manner, according to the Defence Ministry.

The factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future.

Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory, which is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations, officials said.

The proximity of the factory, with the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru, will boost the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the region and support skill and infrastructure development such as schools, colleges and residential areas, it was noted.

The factory is fully operational after the establishment of facilities like heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control and various supporting service facilities, officials said.

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The indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), capable of destroying enemy air defence, conducting counter insurgency strikes and much more, was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Jodhpur air base on 3 October. The fleet of four helicopters was inducted at a ceremony in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and other senior military officials. The helicopter will be called ‘Prachand’, which means fierce.

The HAL designed and manufactured LCH has been inducted in the Jodhpur-based 143 Helicopter Unit of the IAF.

The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters with a considerable load of weapons and fuel, meeting the specific requirements laid out by the Indian Armed Forces.

Ownership of Attack Helicopters

The Army and the Air Force have fought over the ownership of attack helicopters since the venerable Mi-25 Akbar was first inducted into the IAF in 1984 and again when the AH-64 Apache was purchased. It appears that the IAF and the Army have settled for duality of ownership. The orders placed for Prachanda are testimony to this duality. Of the 15 LCH sanctioned by the CCS on 30 March 2022, ten of them were for the IAF and five for the Army.

Features of the Light Combat Helicopter

LCH has the maximum take-off weight of 5.8 tonnes, maximum speed of 268 kilometers per hour, range of 550 kilometers, endurance of over three hours and service ceiling — the maximum density altitude to which it can fly — of 6.5 kilometres.

The helicopter uses radar-absorbing material to lower radar signature and has a significantly crash-proof structure and landing gear. A pressurised cabin offers protection from nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) contingencies.

The helicopter is equipped with a countermeasure dispensing system that protects it from enemy radars or infrared seekers of the enemy missiles. As far as weapons systems are concerned, a 20 mm turret gun, 70 mm rockets and air-to-air missile systems are onboard.

LCH is powered by two French-origin Shakti engines manufactured by the HAL.

With these features, the LCH has the capabilities of combat roles such as destruction of enemy air defence, counter insurgency warfare, combat search and rescue, anti-tank, and counter surface force operations.

The LCH is also armed with a 20 mm nose gun and 70 mm rockets, which are not guided ones.

The LCH is designed to have systems in place to minimise external kinetic and electronic threats.

The LCH, which has a combat radius of 500 km and a service ceiling of a whopping 21,000 ft, is designed with stealth features such as reduced visual, aural, radar and infrared (IR) signatures and crashworthiness features for better survivability.

The LCH has advanced features like helmet-mounted sights, forward-looking infra-red suppression systems, flares and chaff, and glass cockpits.  It is also equipped with self-sealing fuel tanks, bullet-proof windshields, and damage-tolerant main rotor blades to withstand small arms fire.

Integration of Weapons Suite

Work is still in progress and weapon systems will be integrated soon. For the present, the LCH lacks its main arsenal and protection suites for now and will take time to be fully operational.

The attack helicopter — also known as 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.

The ATGM intended to be integrated with Prachand is the indigenous Helina, whose air force version is called Dhruvastra. The testing of Helina/Dhruvastra, made by DRDO, is currently on and that it will be integrated on the LCH by mid-next year as the plan is to fast track the process.

While the helicopter comes integrated with the European air-to-air missile Mistral 2 launchers, manufactured by the MBDA, the missiles have not been ordered yet. With a minimum range of 500 m, Mistral can take down airborne targets of up to 6.5 km.

The LCH is yet to get the electronic warfare suite unlike the weaponised version of Advanced Light Helicopter ‘Rudra’ which comes with Saab’s Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS). The IDAS system was first integrated with the Army and Air Force’s version of ALH Dhruv in 2005. With radar warning receivers supported by the missile and laser warning, IDAS allows the aircraft’s sensors to detect radar missile and laser threats from any position relative to the aircraft. Once a hostile target is detected, the system selects a semi or completely automated response with countermeasures dispensing to fool the incoming projectile or the radar. The plan was to have an indigenous system on board the LCH designed by DRDO, but it is a work in progress.

Genesis of the Light Combat Helicopter

It was during the 1999 Kargil war that the need was first felt for a homegrown lightweight assault helicopter that could hold precision strikes in all Indian battlefield scenarios. This meant a craft that could operate in very hot deserts and also in very cold high altitudes, in counter-insurgency scenarios to full-scale battle conditions.

India has been operating sub 3 ton category French-origin legacy helicopters, Chetak and Cheetah, made in India by the HAL. These single engine machines were, primarily, utility helicopters. Indian forces also operate the Lancer, an armed version of Cheetah. In addition, the Indian Air Force currently operates the Russian origin Mi-17 and its variants Mi-17 IV and Mi-17 V5, with maximum take off weight of 13 tonnes, which are to be phased out starting 2028.

But the requirement was for a more agile, multi-role dedicated attack helicopter. After the initial deliberations, the government sanctioned the LCH project in October 2006, and HAL was tasked to develop it. The HAL’s Rotary Wing Research and Development Centre, which had already worked on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruva and its weaponised version ALH Rudra, embarked upon the project.

Development of Light Combat Helicopter

The LCH has been designed as a twin-engine, dedicated combat helicopter of 5.8-ton class, thus categorised as light. It features a narrow fuselage and tandem — one behind the other — configuration for pilot and co-pilot. The copilot is also the Weapon Systems Operator (WSO). While LCH inherits many features of the ALH, it mainly differs in tandem cockpit configuration, making it sleeker. It also has many more state-of-art systems that make it a dedicated attack helicopter.

In the LCH’s journey towards clearance and induction by the IAF and the Army, extensive flight testing has been carried out on four prototypes, also known as Technology Demonstrators (TDs).

The first Technology Demonstrator was completed in February 2010 and took its first flight on March 29 the same year. TD-2 prototype, completed around 2012, successfully passed the cold weather trials at high altitude. TD-3 and TD-4 prototypes, completed around 2014 and 2015, successfully tested other flight test requirements.

The flight testing was carried out at various altitudes, from sea level to the Siachen range, in extreme cold and hot weather conditions, and in desert regions. During these tests, integration of mission sensors such as electro-optical system, helmet-mounted display system, solid state data and video recorder, and weapon systems such as turret gun, rockets and air-to-air missile systems was carried out. Weapon firing trials were also completed. The four prototypes have together undergone over 2,000 flights with close to 1600 flight hours.

Initial operational clearance came in 2017 for the IAF variant and in 2019 for the Army variant. In August 2020, the MoD added LCH to the items under import embargo. In November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi symbolically handed over the LCH to the Indian Air Force, paving the way for its final induction.

In March 2022, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved procurement of 15 LCH Limited Series Production (LSP) — 10 for IAF and five for Army — at the cost of Rs 3,887 crore along with infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore.

The 15 copters are the initial lot and the orders will go up once the systems are in place. It is estimated that the Army will go in for nearly 90 of them for its aviation arm to support ground operations, while the IAF will have a little less.

Indigenous Content

One consequence of the Russian war in Ukraine is that it has brought into sharper focus the extent of India’s dependency on Moscow for defence hardware, and the urgent need for indigenisation to the extent possible. The LCH is 45 per cent indigenous right now, but will become more Indian in the years to come.

In March, the Ministry of Defence identified 18 major platforms for “make in India” and the 2022-23 defence budget reflects this with an allocation of 25 per cent of the defence research and development for Indian industry-led efforts in this direction. HAL’s indigenous multi-role helicopter, being developed to take the place of Mi17s that have started to be phased out, is the next big challenge.

Will there be a demand for India-made defence helicopters? It is hard to say, but the logic of self-reliance in defence production demands international standards. The LCH is a great start.

The Road Ahead

Eventually, the Army is looking for another 95 LCH and the IAF another 65 of them. After receiving a contract for the LSP in March, some units have already been delivered and the rest are at various stages of acceptance. HAL has said that it has drawn a detailed masterplan for achieving the peak rate production capacity of 30 helicopters per year in order to produce the remaining 145 LCHs in eight years from the date of signing of Series Production order.

The Army Aviation has three Brigades at Leh, Missamari and Jodhpur, and operates around 145 indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), 75 of which are the Rudra weaponised variants, and around 190 ageing Cheetah, Chetak and Cheetal helicopters. Another 25 ALH Mk-III are on order which will be inducted within two years. The Army will also start receiving the Apache attack helicopters in early 2024, six of which have been contracted under an estimated $800 million deal from the Boeing in February 2020. In addition, the Army is also pushing a case for 11 more Apaches for which negotiations are under way.

The focus is now on the development of medium-lift category Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH), to replace the fleets of IAF’s workhorse Mi-17 and other helicopters which will start phasing out over the coming decade.

HAL has so far rolled out three indigenously designed and developed helicopters in the light category (below 10 ton) – the 5-ton class Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, its weaponised version ALH Rudra, and the LCH. It has also developed a 3-ton class Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), primarily as a replacement for the French origin legacy helicopters Chetak and Cheetah. So the next logical step is a Made-in-India medium lift helicopter in the 13-ton category – the IMRH.

On April 2, speaking at a function to mark 60 years of service of Chetak helicopters, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the need to develop the IMRH which, he said, is a significant requirement for the armed forces and has a huge market potential.

He also pushed for fast-tracking the development of helicopter technology, saying this will not only be a key strategic asset in the defence sector, but will also make India a dominant force in the global helicopter market.

The Navy operates close to 60 helicopters like Kamov and Seaking and the newly inducted MH-60R in medium lift category. Its projected requirement over the next few years is close to 120. A large share of this requirement may be fulfilled by the IMRH.

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The IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, while addressing a press conference ahead of Air Force Day, answered multiple questions on the fighter jet fleet. He said 83 of the Tejas Mark 1-A are on order and the proposal to make 114 medium-range fighter aircraft (MRFA) in India has been finalised.

The foreign manufacturers in the MRFA project have been asked to have a greater “Make in India” commitment.

Another 10 planes of the first lot of 40 Tejas will be delivered this year. “The project to get 12 additional Sukhoi-30 MKI and 21 of the MiG-29 is deferred,” he added.

On further long-term projects, the IAF chief said the force was committed to the indigenous Tejas Mark 2 and is looking at six squadrons and also the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The IAF will phase out the three squadrons of MiG-21 by 2024. The phasing out of the fleet of Jaguar jets — six squadrons — will start from 2025 and continue till 2032. By that time, the Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 fleets — three squadrons each — would be scheduled for phasing out, the IAF chief added.

On being asked if there was ever a thought to reduce the number of authorised fighter jet squadrons from the present 42, the chief said, “With the given numbers (31 squadrons), it will be impossible to keep watch and do combat air patrol all across the country.” The target of 42 squadrons would remain even though it may take a decade to meet it, the IAF chief said.

On being asked what would be benchmark of normalcy along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, he said, “The benchmark will be to return to the status quo as on April 2020 and complete withdrawal all along the LAC.”

LCH to make debut at Chandigarh air show

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), inducted into the Indian Air Force at Jodhpur on Monday, will make its debut at the Air Force Day parade in Chandigarh. The IAF announced that three LCH from the 143-helicopter unit, Jodhpur, will take off from Chandigarh to take part in the air show to be conducted over Sukhna Lake on October 8. Apart the LCH, the IAF will display jets such as Rafale, Sukhoi 30 MKI, MiG 29 and Mirage 2000.

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The HAL project will substitute imports of more than Rs 4 lakh crore worth of military helicopters for the three services in the coming years. With a huge potential for export, the HAL intends to target the global helicopter market as well.

Replacement Plans

The IMRH is being developed as an indigenous replacement for existing helicopters such as the Mil Mi-17 in the air force, which were imported from Russia and the Kamov and Seaking helicopters in the navy, which were imported from Russia and the UK, respectively. Depending on its configuration, the IMRH can carry either 24 or 36 troops. The air force’s Mi-17 helicopters are slated for replacement starting from 2028 as per current plans. HAL is benchmarking the proposed IMRH against its contemporary helicopters, viz. Mi-17, S-92, AW-101, NH-90 & EC-725.

The Mi-17 helicopters are planned to be phased out by 2032. HAL is aiming to produce at least 500 helicopters of this type, but with more endurance than Mi-17s. An assured demand of at least 400 helicopters is offered by the HAL to selected partners.

There were as of 2021 around 240 Mi-17 helicopters of three variants operating in the inventory of the Indian Air Force, helicopters which, starting from 2028, will be progressively phased out. The Air Force has indicated a replacement requirement of 250 helicopters in the medium-lift category. The Army, which at present does not have any medium-lift helicopters in its inventory, has also indicated a demand of around 170 medium-lift helicopters, calling them Tactical Battlefield Support helicopters. The Navy, which operates 63 medium helicopters, has indicated a demand of 123 such helicopters. HAL projected a total requirement of 314 helicopters for the armed forces — 200 for the Air Force, 100 for the Army and 14 for the Navy — totalling an expenditure of around Rs.78,500 crore, with a further Rs.62,800 crore accruing by way of spares support over the life of these helicopters.

Design & Development

The preliminary design of the helicopter is complete. The first prototype set is expected to be ready by next year.

The IMRH is being developed at HAL’s Rotary Wing R&D Centre (RWRDC) in Bengaluru, one of the oldest helicopter design and production agencies in Asia (if not the oldest). It was established in 1970 as Helicopter Design Bureau and later renamed RWR&DC in 1998. The IMRH was originally conceived as a 10-tonne class helicopter to meet the Indian army, air force and navy requirements. It has now grown into a 13-tonne class helicopter that will be able to undertake various roles for the armed forces such as support air assault, air transport, VIP transport, combat logistics viz. troop transport, combat search & rescue and casualty evacuation operations, etc.

Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a premium laboratory of DRDO, has taken up a program to develop five sets (300 in number) of single crystal high pressure turbine (HPT) blades using a nickel-based super-alloy. Very few countries such as the USA, UK, France and Russia have the capability to design and manufacture such state-of-the-art Single Crystal (SX) components, which have a complex shape and geometry, manufactured out of Nickel based super-alloys, and are capable of withstanding high temperatures of operation.

DRDO has developed single crystal blades technology and supplied 60 of these blades to HAL as part of their indigenous helicopter development program for helicopter engine application.

Features

In 2021, details on progress were unveiled in Aero India. The helicopter is expected to have a maximum take off weight of 13 tonnes and will have 24 to 36 crews onboard in various configurations. The helicopter will have a five bladed main rotor with a diameter of 21.2 meters and a four-blade tail rotor. MRH will have 75% domestic content but will use an imported 2000kW turboshaft engine. Payload capacity at sea level will be 4 tonnes and 1.5 tonne at a height of 13,000 ft (4,000 m). Aircraft will have pair of weapons wings which will provide four hardpoints for up to 1,600 kilograms of armaments. First flight is expected four years after development project began while the introduction is scheduled for 2028.

The IMRH will have a service ceiling of 6.5 km, which is unlikely to be matched by any other helicopter in the 13-tonne weight class in the world. HAL quotes a flight endurance of three hours and a maximum cruise speed of 260 kmph. The new helicopter will have a payload of four tonne and crash-worthy tricycle landing gear. The IMRH will be equipped with an indigenously designed smart cockpit, state-of-the-art mission systems, advanced avionic systems and a 4-axis automatic flight control system. HAL RWRDC has now gained extensive experience using composites on the Dhruv, LCH and LUH helicopters, and as a result, the IMRH will feature a composite and modular airframe. The modular airframe will allow HAL to outsource production-related activities for the IMRH.

Private Sector Participation

HAL has begun the formal process for the selection of partners for design, development, and manufacturing of IMRH. This involves Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model via special purpose vehicle (SPV) model.

HAL is setting up a new Helicopter Factory at Tumkur that will produce helicopters of 3 ton to 12 ton category.HAL is also discussing with Safran Helicopter Engines for joint development and manufacturing of IMRH engine under strategic partnership model.

The Defence Ministry has decided to amend the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) manual to allow private sector to collaborate with an Indian Defence PSUs with a majority stake and manufacture weapon systems. This collaboration will be tested in the development and manufacture of IMRH.

The private sector companies will also be allowed to export 25 per cent of their production to third countries and generate foreign exchange for the country. They have also sought an assurance from the Defence Ministry that the Indian armed forces should purchase the helicopter if the product is manufactured in the next five years by advancing timelines and saving money and man-hours.

The decision to allow the private sector to acquire 51 per cent stake and form a joint venture with Indian PSUs was taken as the latter were not being able to deliver in required time leading to cost overruns.

Development Costs

An estimated ₹11,000 crore will be required as development cost with six prototypes for seven years and another ₹12,000 crore for setting up production facilities.

HAL-Safran Joint Venture

The IMRH programme received a boost, with the HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines announcing an agreement, on 8 July, to create a joint venture dedicated to helicopter engine development, production, sales and support. The JV will look to develop an engine for the IMRH, continuing Safran’s success in powering indigenous Indian helicopters in the ALH, LCH and LUH.

The company will also meet the requirement of future helicopter projects of HAL and Ministry of Defence. HAL will hold the type certificate for the engine after completion of the developmental project. The engine development will take three years to complete.

Deck-based Naval Multi-role Helicopter

In July 2021, the Indian Navy formally involved itself in the project, envisaging a customized naval multi-mission capability helicopter for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) / Anti-Surface (ASuW) Special Operations / Search & Rescue (SAR) Utility / Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), Command and Control (C2) called the Deck-based Naval Multi-role Helicopters (DBMRH). As the naval variant will not perform high-altitude operations, unlike Indian Army and Indian Air Force operations, it will have higher payload capacity and longer range with a more powerful engine.

HAL plans to build three IMRH and three DBMRH in the next few years that will be used for developmental and flight trials. As of now, the Sea King Mk.42B, which the HAL seeks to replace, is fulfilling the ASW requirements of the Navy. The DBMRH will also supplement the recently inducted Lockheed Martin MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) fleet.

Comments

The development of the IMRH and the DBMRH will be a shot in the arm for HAL. The indigenous HAL Rudra Combat Utility helicopter, the weaponized version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) is already serving the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. This multi-role helicopter of 5.8 ton class is powered by two Shakti engines and can perform anti-tank warfare and can provide close air support for ground troops, besides the scout, fire support, armed reconnaissance and surveillance, escort and EW platform roles. These helicopters have proven their prowess in high-altitude operations in the Himalayas, where helipads are at an altitude of more than 15,000 ft, and in the desert sector on the western front.

The 13-tonne IMRH will be the largest helicopter designed and developed in India and is more than twice the weight of the 5.5-tonne indigenously developed Dhruv ALH. HAL anticipates the business volume related to IMRH production and Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) phases to be to the tune of over INR 160,000 crore.

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Majority of the fleet of the 186 Chetak and over 200 of Cheetah lie in the vintage category, serving for over 40 years now. And they will continue to fly for the next few decades more as the forces are still ordering, given the lack of options.

Chetak lacks modern helicopter features like moving map display, ground proximity warning system, and weather radar, besides an auto-pilot system.

During the past 10 years, around 15 Chetak and Cheetah helicopters have crashed, killing several pilots even as it remains as the workhorse of the armed forces — flying over the sea or Siachen Glacier. In 2022 alone, at least five Army pilots have lost their lives in air crashes.

HAL Light Utility Helicopter

In November 2021, the defence ministry approved the procurement of 12 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) from HAL. These helicopters will eventually replace the nearly 400 Chetak and Cheetah in use. These 12 new choppers will come under a limited series production configuration even as India’s overall demand for LUHs, meant for transportation of men and supplies to high-altitude areas besides evacuation and reconnaissance, is estimated to be over 400. This means that it will be years before the entire fleet of Chetak and Cheetah are replaced.

Of the nearly 400 helicopters that the armed forces require, only half of them were to be supplied by HAL and the rest were to come through a joint venture with Russia under the Make in India route — for Kamov 226T. But the government-to-government deal in 2015 hangs in balance over indigenous content and cost.

The Navy was keen to replace them and the process was initiated under the strategic partnership model, only to be delayed by HAL’s attempt to enter the race.

Light Combat Helicopter

The cabinet committee on security, on 30 March 2022, cleared the purchase of 15 light combat helicopters (LCH) for the Indian air force (IAF) and the army from HAL at a cost of Rs 3,887 crore.

The approval for the 15 limited series production (LSP) helicopters came along with infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 377 crore.

LCH has indigenous content of 45% by value, which will progressively increase to more than 55% for the series production version.

HAL expects follow-up orders as the IAF and army have a combined projected requirement of 160 LCHs, officials familiar with the matter said. Of the initial 15 LSP helicopters approved for purchase, 10 are for the IAF and five for the army.

LCH figures on the government’s negative import list that seeks to ban the import of different types of weapons, systems and ammunition over the next five years to boost self-reliance in defence.

LCH is specifically designed for operating in mountainous and high-altitude areas. Its capability to deliver armament at altitudes in excess of 15,000 feet makes it unique in the world.

LCH can perform a raft of missions such as destruction of enemy air defences, targeting slow moving aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft, destroying high-altitude bunkers, carrying out counter-insurgency operations in jungle and urban environments aside from providing support to ground forces, the ministry said, adding that it would be a potent platform for the two services.

Order for More Combat Helicopters

Impressed with the performance of the armed version of the ALH, the IAF plans to buy more such copters for high-altitude operations in the Himalayas and the desert sector on the western front.

The copter, which is called the ALH Mark-IV version and is known by its military name ‘Rudra’, was used in Eastern Ladakh during the stand-off with China. The IAF has one squadron of 14 to 16 copters and is looking to get at least three more squadrons. The Army also operates the ‘Rudra’.

HAL LCH is a dedicated attack helicopter while Rudra is a Weapon Systems Integrated Variant or an armed variant of ALH Dhruv, more suited for armed scouting roles in a secured environment while LCH is more suited for high-risk operations in hostile airspace which includes close-air support missions, high-altitude warfare and anti-armor missions.

Role and Features

The LCH has the maximum possible commonality with ALH. The attack helicopter has a pilot and co-pilot sitting in tandem position (one behind the other). The helicopter has several stealth features and has armour protection, night attack capability and crash worthy landing gear to give it better survivability.

It is powered by two Shakti engines and has a maximum take off weight of 5,800 kg. With a maximum speed of 268 km per hour it has a range of 550 km and an operational ceiling of 6.5 kms. Armed with air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, LCH also has a 20 mm gun and 70 mm rockets. With a full glass cockpit, the LCH has an Electronic Warfare suite and helmet mounted display for the flying crew.

The LCH is well suited for anti-tank role wherein it can fly low and fast to attack enemy armour columns and destroy them. As per HAL, it is also suitable for scout role wherein it can fly ahead of advancing columns of the Army and detect enemy presence. It is also suitable for air defence roles and destruction of enemy air defence assets. It can also be used in urban warfare missions and combat search and rescue operations.

Genesis and Development

The genesis of the LCH lies in the Kargil conflict of 1999 when the absence of an attack helicopter which could operate in ultra-high altitude areas was felt acutely by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF). The intruding Pakistan Army troops had occupied various heights on the Indian side of the Line of Control but the existing Russian-made attack helicopters in the inventory of the Indian military did not have the operational ceiling which permitted their deployment at those heights. The IAF was forced to use the MI-17 helicopters in a modified role against those heights and suffered the loss of a helicopter when it was fired upon by the enemy.

The first ground run of the first prototype of the LCH took place in February 2010 and a month later the first flight test of the helicopter also took place. A third prototype was further tested in November 2014 with integrated weapon platforms and sensors. This version was a considerably improved one with lighter weight and advanced configurations. In the coming year further hot weather and cold weather tests were done on the helicopter in Rajasthan and Ladakh and a fourth prototype was tested in November 2015.

It was in January 2019 that HAL gave the go ahead for the operational deployment of the helicopter after all systems had been fully integrated and checked for performance. The defence minister inaugurated the LCH production hangar at HAL Bengaluru in February 2020. The production line is reportedly geared up to deliver up to 30 helicopters a year.

Overhaul of Mi-17 Helicopters to be Outsourced

The IAF is outsourcing the repair and overhaul of its Russian-origin Mi-17V5 helicopters, which form the backbone of its medium-lift rotary component, to the private industry to overcome the shortfall in the IAF’s existing in-house capacity. The entire overhaul process as mandated, after receiving the helicopter from the IAF to post-overhaul flight test till final acceptance by the IAF, will be the responsibility of the private firm.

At present, the Mi-17 helicopters are overhauled at No.3 Base Repair Deport (BRD) in Chandigarh, which is the largest helicopter maintenance establishment for Soviet or Russian origin helicopters, including the older variants of the Mi-17 and the Mi-25/35 gunships.

The IAF has a large fleet of Mi-17 helicopters comprising three variants, but the existing capacity of 3 BRD is limited and a significant number of the latest variant, the V5, have to be sent overseas for major overhaul.

Established in 1962, 3 BRD has been repairing, overhauling, modifying and retrofitting the Mi-17 series, their engines and aggregates since 1991. The Depot also assembled and flight tested the V5 version after they were inducted in 2012. In 2019, a new assembly line became operational at the depot for overhauling the Mi-17V5.

In addition to the indigenization of various types of aero-spares to cut dependence on imports, the depot has also upgraded and modified helicopters to enhance their capability for meeting various operational requirements.  Several such projects have been executed by the depot over the past years, including modifying five M-17V5s for VVIP transport to ferry the president, vive-president and the prime minister.

The IAF operates about 150 of the latest V5 variant that are among the most advanced helicopters in the world, incorporating a complex navigation and electronic warfare suite. Like the earlier variants, they can also be armed with external rocket pods, missiles and machine guns.

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LCH LSP is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state of the art modern combat helicopter containing approx. 45% indigenous content by value which will progressively increase to more than 55% for SP Version.

This helicopter is equipped with requisite agility, maneuverability, extended range, high altitude performance and around-the-clock, all-weather combat capability to perform roles of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD), Counter Insurgency (CI) operations, against slow moving aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs), high altitude bunker busting operations, Counter Insurgency operations in jungle and urban environments and support to ground forces and would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of Indian Air Force & Indian Army.

State of the art technologies and systems compatible with stealth features such as reduced Visual, Aural, Radar and IR signatures and crashworthiness features for better survivability have been integrated in LCH for deployment in combat roles catering to emerging needs for next 3 to 4 decades. Several key aviation technologies like Glass Cockpit and composite airframe structure have been indigenised. The future Series Production version will consist of further modern & indigenous systems.

Light Combat Helicopters are already in the import embargo list. With its versatile features built in for combat missions, LCH has export capability.

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The approval for the 15 limited series production (LSP) helicopters comes along with infrastructure sanctions worth ?377 crore. While the defence ministry is now set to award the contract to HAL, the state-run plane maker has already delivered some helicopters to the two services in anticipation of the order.

LCH has indigenous content of 45% by value, which will progressively increase to more than 55% for the series production version, the ministry said.

HAL expects follow-up orders as the IAF and army have a combined projected requirement of 160 LCHs, officials familiar with the matter said. Of the initial 15 LSP helicopters approved for purchase, 10 are for the IAF and five for the army.

LCH figures on the government’s negative import list that seeks to ban the import of different types of weapons, systems and ammunition over the next five years to boost self-reliance in defence. In the last two years, the government has imposed a ban on the import of 209 defence items.

“LCH is specifically designed for operating in mountainous and high-altitude areas. Its capability to deliver armament at altitudes in excess of 15,000 feet makes it unique in the world. HAL should prioritise production to meet the demands of the services,” said air vice marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), former additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.

Production of LCH will reduce India’s dependence on imported combat helicopters, the ministry said in a statement. With its versatile features, the helicopter has export potential, the ministry said.

LCH can perform a raft of missions such as destruction of enemy air defences, targeting slow moving aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft, destroying high-altitude bunkers, carrying out counter-insurgency operations in jungle and urban environments aside from providing support to ground forces, the ministry said, adding that it would be a potent platform for the two services.

“State-of-the-art technologies and systems compatible with stealth features…and crashworthiness features for better survivability have been integrated in LCH catering to emerging needs for the next three to four decades,” the ministry said.

The government has taken several steps in recent years to boost self-reliance including raising foreign direct investment (FDI) in defence manufacturing, creating a separate budget for buying locally-made military hardware and notifying two lists of weapons and equipment that cannot be imported.

These lists include artillery guns, missile destroyers, ship-borne cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, light transport aircraft, long-range land-attack cruise missiles, basic trainer aircraft, multi-barrel rocket launchers, assault rifles, sniper rifles, mini-UAVs, specified types of helicopters, next-generation corvettes, airborne early warning and Control (AEW&C) systems, and medium-range surface to air missile systems.

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