BENGALURU, October 10 — Defence Public Sector Undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday formally commenced series deliveries from the landmark ₹45,000 crore contract for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH 'Prachand'), handing over the initial operational squadron units to the Indian Army Aviation Corps and the Indian Air Force at its Bengaluru rotary-wing complex.
Under the force allocation sanctioned by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), 90 LCH Prachand helicopters will equip the Indian Army’s mountain strike formations while 66 platforms will bolster the Indian Air Force's close air support squadrons. Engineered specifically for high-altitude alpine warfare, Prachand remains the only attack helicopter globally capable of landing and taking off at altitudes of 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) with a full weapons and fuel payload—tailored directly for operational deployment across the Siachen Glacier and Eastern Ladakh.
Powered by twin HAL-Safran 'Shakti' turboshaft engines, the 5.8-tonne twin-engine tandem-cockpit gunship incorporates radar-absorbent stealth profiling, crashworthy tricycle landing gear, a helmet-mounted sight, a 20mm nose turret gun, 70mm rocket pods, and indigenous 'Dhruvastra' air-to-surface anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).
Indigenous rotary-wing aviation platforms (ALH Dhruv, WSI Rudra, LCH Prachand, and LUH), the Maharatna status of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, defense capital procurement under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, and high-altitude battlefield aerodynamics are core syllabus areas across UPSC Civil Services (GS-III: Defense Indigenization) and military leadership exams (CDS, AFCAT, NDA).