The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, designed and manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is poised for a significant acquisition by India’s military. The Ministry of Defense has issued a Request for Proposal (RfP) to HAL for 156 helicopters, with 90 destined for the Indian Army and 66 for the Indian Air Force. This deal, expected to be worth $5.4 billion, marks a crucial step in India’s efforts to develop customized helicopters for its armed forces.
The LCH Prachand stands out for its high-altitude performance, capable of taking off and landing at altitudes up to 16,400 feet. This makes it particularly valuable for operations along India’s mountainous borders with China and Pakistan. The helicopter’s armaments include Mistral air-to-air missiles, FZ231 rocket pods, a nose-mounted M621 cannon, and future integration of Dhruvastra air-to-ground missiles.
While considered a home-grown design, the current level of local content in the LCH stands at 45%. However, HAL aims to increase this to 55% in the series production of 156 helicopters. A significant factor in this increase is a 2023 agreement with Safran for full technology transfer of the Shakti 1H1 engines powering the LCH.
The LCH’s development has been a lengthy process, with its maiden flight occurring in 2010. Experts note that product improvement is ongoing, and there are hopes that HAL will address legacy issues seen in other indigenous helicopters, such as low time between overhauls of key components.
This tender follows a recent RfP for 97 Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A, also issued to HAL. These acquisitions reflect India’s commitment to modernizing its military capabilities with domestically produced platforms. The LCH Prachand will operate alongside 28 AH-64E Apache helicopters procured from the United States, enhancing India’s attack helicopter fleet.
