‘Enhancing Combat Capability’: Indian Army Started Using Its Own Light Combat Helicopter

September 30, 2022

137 1 minute read

Indian Army Started Using Its Own Light Combat Helicopter — Image credit : Indian air force

The multi-role Light Combat Helicopter, which was made in India, will be officially added to the IAF on October 3 at the Jodhpur Air Force base in Rajasthan.
The Ministry of Defense says that the Light Combat Helicopter Limited Series Production is a state-of-the-art modern combat helicopter that was designed, developed, and made in India.

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), which was designed and built in India, joined the Indian Army on Thursday. HAL gave the first LCH to the Director General of the Army Aviation Corps.

The Indian Army said that the LCH will greatly improve their ability to fight.

On March 30, 2022, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave the green light to buy 15 Light Combat Helicopter Limited Series Production for Rs. 3,887 crore. The IAF will get ten, and the Army will get five.

The helicopter has the agility, manoeuvrability, extended range, high altitude performance, and around-the-clock, all-weather combat capability to do 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.

Under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” programme, DPSUs are supposed to import as little as possible. The fact that LCH will be made by HAL will give a boost to the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” programme and help make defence production and the defence industry in the country more self-sufficient.
Notably, the multi-role Light Combat Helicopter, which was made in India, will be officially added to the IAF on October 3 at the Jodhpur Air Force base in Rajasthan. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari will be there.

The Ministry of Defense says that the Light Combat Helicopter Limited Series Production is a state-of-the-art modern combat helicopter that was designed, developed, and made in India. It has about 45 percent Indian content by value, and that number will go up to more than 55 percent for the Series Production Version.