Prachand LCH: News & Discussion: 03 October 2022

[ashthor]

now that Prachand order is finally in place,
HAL should start designing a HCH (Heavy Combat Helicopter).
With their experience it should be up and ready for testing in a few years time.

This will only be possible after we develop IMRH.

[ashishvikas]

BREAKING | Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared the acquition of 156 Light Combat Helicopter PRACHAND for Indian Army and Indian Air Force.

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1905 ... 71221?s=46

India clears biggest ever defence deal for buying 156 Made in India LCH Prachand helicopters. The decision was taken in the Cabinet Committee on Security in its meeting today. Defence Ministry has signed contracts worth over Rs 2.09 lakh crore in this financial year: Defence officials

https://x.com/ani/status/1905598185252274246?s=46

[Bharadwaj]

https://x.com/dperi84/status/1905616929638998117

MoD signs 2 contracts with
@HALHQBLR
for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) + associated equipment at a cost of over ₹62,700 Cr excluding taxes - 90 for Army, 66 for IAF. The contracts were signed soon after the deal got final sanction from the Cabinet Committee on Security

[bala]

Economictimes is also reporting the same:

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 655858.cms

India has approved a major defence deal worth Rs 45,000 crore to acquire 156 Light Combat Prachand helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautical Limited for the Indian Army and Air Force. These helicopters are capable of operating at high altitudes and are equipped with advanced attack systems. The formal induction to the Indian Air Force occurred in October 2022.

[mody]

Now lets get the Helina and SANT trials from the Prachand going. All the large deals which were rumoured to be finalized by the financial year end have now been signed.

[VinodTK]

Wonder as to what the delivery schedules are for the 156 choppers?
Have not seen any delivery time lines yet, hope and pray it is not a 10 year program.

[ashishvikas]

Wonder as to what the delivery schedules are for the 156 choppers?
Have not seen any delivery time lines yet, hope and pray it is not a 10 year program.

Production Rate: The manufacturing plan is ambitious, with HAL set to produce 30 helicopters per year.

Expected Service Entry: If the deal is signed in 2025, deliveries will start by 2028.

Completion Timeline: The entire fleet of 156 helicopters will be delivered within five years. Therefore, by 2033, both the IAF and Indian Army will have their full complement of LCH Prachand in operation.

https://alphadefense.in/index.php/2025/ ... rmy/?amp=1

[prashantsharma]

The IA and IAF need time to build up helo pilot strength and train new aircrew. In my view they will have to raise new units and i dont think they have any bench strength of helo pilots.

[VinodTK]

Production Rate: The manufacturing plan is ambitious, with HAL set to produce 30 helicopters per year.

Expected Service Entry: If the deal is signed in 2025, deliveries will start by 2028.

Completion Timeline: The entire fleet of 156 helicopters will be delivered within five years. Therefore, by 2033, both the IAF and Indian Army will have their full complement of LCH Prachand in operation.

Thanks Ashishvikas Jee

[drnayar]

What is this language Hindu?

Malayalam..most names are keralite

[Manish_P]

Wonder as to what the delivery schedules are for the 156 choppers?
Have not seen any delivery time lines yet, hope and pray it is not a 10 year program.

Production Rate: The manufacturing plan is ambitious, with HAL set to produce 30 helicopters per year.

Expected Service Entry: If the deal is signed in 2025, deliveries will start by 2028.

Completion Timeline: The entire fleet of 156 helicopters will be delivered within five years. Therefore, by 2033, both the IAF and Indian Army will have their full complement of LCH Prachand in operation.

https://alphadefense.in/index.php/2025/ ... rmy/?amp=1

Hopefully by 2030 a follow-up order will be placed for an equal or more number of Prachands.

[ashishvikas]

^^ Sir, how many ? I thought 168 would be sufficient.
100s of more Rudra make more sense to me.

[Rakesh]

Rs 25,000 crore work share for private sector firms in HAL's mega 156 combat helicopter deal
https://aninews.in/news/national/genera ... 406190613/
06 April 2025

[Manish_P]

^^ Sir, how many ? I thought 168 would be sufficient.
100s of more Rudra make more sense to me.

Look at at chinese infra building in the eastern sector, their drone programs for the next decade. That might give some insights.

Factor in maintenance cycles, attrition also.

Private players need big orders to be even interested.

And we need private players in the game...

And yes, we need the Rudras too!

[Manish_P]

Rs 25,000 crore work share for private sector firms in HAL's mega 156 combat helicopter deal
https://aninews.in/news/national/genera ... 406190613/
06 April 2025

Good to hear

Hopefully they will grow fast... and wide.

[A_Gupta]

YouTube: https://youtu.be/KVy0D8O6kK8?si=Q7RPWEUEm4gcTMx_

Why did India develop the LCH Prachand, even though it already had the fearsome AH-64 Apache? What makes this Indian attack helicopter so special—and is it actually better than the Apache in high-altitude warfare? In this video from Caspian Insight, we break down the full story behind India’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), known as "Prachand," and why it was engineered to dominate one of the harshest environments on Earth: the Himalayas.

From the lessons of the 1999 Kargil War to the high-altitude realities of the India-China border, we explore how traditional attack helicopters—even advanced ones like the Apache—struggle in extreme conditions. When India's Russian-origin Mi-24 and even American Apache helicopters failed to perform effectively at altitudes above 5,000 meters, India knew it needed something custom-built for mountain warfare.

That’s where Prachand comes in.

Designed and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Prachand is more than just a light attack helicopter—it’s a symbol of India’s military self-reliance, strategic thinking, and high-altitude dominance. Capable of operating at 6,500 meters, carrying 16 anti-tank guided missiles, equipped with heat signature reduction tech and advanced sensors, this helicopter is built for the battlefield of tomorrow.

But how does it compare to the Apache in real-world performance?

In this video, we explore:

Why India made its own attack helicopter despite owning the Apache

Why Western helicopters fail in the Himalayas

How Prachand beats the Apache in high-altitude operations

The strategic importance of India’s mountain warfare doctrine

The future of Indian helicopter warfare

Why countries like India need indigenous defense tech

We also tell the untold story of a U.S. Chinook that had to be rescued from a mountaintop by a Soviet-made Mi-26, proving just how tough high-altitude operations can be—even for superpowers.

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/officialTatya_1/status/19 ... 9239109117 ---> LCH - Beauty with Blades

[Manish_P]

^ That's some Michelangelo level photography..