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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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This decision was achieved thanks to a dynamic common work cycle between the two companies, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 8th July 2022 and an agreement on workshare reached between the two partners during Aero India 2023.

ALSO READ: HAL and Safran sign MoU to extend cooperation for new helicopter engines

The collaboration the Indian and French Aerospace majors is clearly supporting the development of the aerospace strategic roadmap between the two countries while once again endorsing the Indian Government’s vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” – particularly in defence technologies. Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL see this joint venture as a natural further step in their robust, well balanced and growing relationship.

Mr. Cedric Goubet, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO, said: “We at Safran Helicopter Engines are truly elated to partner with HAL and India to craft this new turboshaft engine joint venture set to address the Indian market and also future export opportunities. It marks a turning point in not only the longstanding relationship between our two companies but also between India and France. Together we will remain fully dedicated to our customers in India, proud to designing and producing new efficient helicopter engines.”

Mr. C.B. Ananthkrishnan, CMD, HAL said: “Safran Helicopter Engines has been our valued partner for several decades. We both have embarked on a new journey, leveraging HAL’s experience in manufacturing of more than 15 types of aircraft and helicopter engines and Safran Helicopter Engines’ expertise in desiging turboshaft engines. The objective is to co-develop and co-produce turboshaft engines in India – with immediate focus on IMRH and DBMRH. This partnership will engage and harness the Indian Defence manufacturing ecosystem towards realising Atmanirbhar Bharat vision of our Honble PM”.

Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL already have multiple successful partnerships on helicopter powerplants, including the Shakti engine, which powers HAL-produced helicopters, comprising the Dhruv, Rudra and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH Prachand). More than 500 Shakti engines have already been produced. The new joint venture further extends the sphere of current cooperation and explores opportunities for strategic business collaboration that leverage the complementary talents and capabilities of the two aviation firms.

Through HE-MRO joint venture in Goa, Safran Helicopter Engines and HAL will also provide MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) services for TM333 and Shakti engines in the service of Indian Armed Forces.

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According to its makers, 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.

Here is the story of its development by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), its unique features, its importance as a strategic asset and the road it faces ahead.

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.

The 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.

HAL officials said that 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 this year, 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.

Features, significance 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 road ahead

According to HAL there is a projected requirement of 160 LCHs — 65 for IAF and 95 for Indian Army. 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.

For export, the HAL has already obtained a no objection certificate from the Ministry of Defence for countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Angola, Egypt, Indonesia, Ecuador and Nigeria, sources have said.

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