Modi govt gives approval to buy 15 India-made Light Combat Helicopters with air-to-air missiles
By Lokmat English Desk | Updated: March 31, 2022 16:07 IST2022-03-31T16:07:35+5:302022-03-31T16:07:35+5:30
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arendra Modi government has approved the procurement of 15 indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) for the Army and the Indian Air Force.
. Already deployed in Ladakh, many more choppers are expected to be put in action in the coming years.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met Wednesday, cleared the procurement of the Limited Series Production variants of the helicopters for Rs 3,887 crore, including infrastructure sanctions.
Equipped with a 20 m gun, 70 mm rockets and air-to-air missiles, besides air-to-ground variants, the HAL-manufactured LCH will complement the heavier 22 Apache attack choppers purchased from the US.
According to sources in the defence and security establishment, the Army and the IAF have a combined requirement of about 160 twin engine LCH which have the capability to operate even in Siachen, the only combat helicopter to do so in the world.
According to HAL, the LCH boasts a maximum speed of 268 km/h, a range of 550 km and an oblique climb rate of 12 m/s.
“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,” the ministry said in a statement.