The contract for 156 ‘Prachand’ light combat helicopters will be the largest single order given for the acquisition of military equipment to an Indian company. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will produce the helicopters, with significant work outsourced to the private sector. The first of the choppers is expected to be delivered within three years. Officials said that the target is to eventually outsource almost 40% of the work to the private sector.
Sources said PM Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security gave the go-ahead to the contract on Friday.
Also Read: Prachand LCH: The game-changing indigenous attack helicopter that puts India ahead in high-altitude warfare at 21,000 feet
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Order for Army and Air Force
The deal will be formally inked within the current financial year, said sources. The order is being split between the army that will get 90 choppers and the air force (66). The choppers will initially be made in Bengaluru with production expanding to Tumkur in the future. With this, the order book for HAL will cross Rs 2 lakh crore, which includes other helicopters and fighter jets.The Prachand helicopters have been designed specifically for Indian conditions and have shown good performance at super-high-altitude areas during trials in Ladakh. HAL has already delivered 15 of the helicopters to the armed forces and their performance, especially in high-altitude areas, has been appreciated by the user. The Prachand will be India’s mainstay combat chopper for the next three to four decades. It also has good potential for export orders. It will be supplemented by the in-service Apache helicopters that have been purchased from the US.
The Prachand is designed to perform roles of combat search and rescue, destruction of enemy air defence, counter insurgency operations, against slow moving aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft, high-altitude bunker busting operations, counter insurgency operations in jungle and urban environments and support to ground forces.
“The helicopter possesses modern stealth characteristics, robust armour protection and formidable night attack capability. Onboard advanced navigation system, guns tailored for close combat and potent air-to-air missiles make the LCH especially suited for the modern battlefield,” an official said.
In 2022, the government had placed orders for 15 light combat helicopters with HAL, at a cost of Rs 3,887 crore. These choppers were inducted by the air force in October 2022 in Jodhpur in the newly raised No. 143 Helicopter Unit.
