HAL Prachanda

Light Attack Helicopter

India | 2022

"Several hundred HAL Light Combat Helicopters are currently on order for the Indian Air Force and Army."

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the HAL LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) Light Attack Helicopter.

2 x HAL (Turbomeca) Shakti turboshaft engines developing 1,430 horsepower each and driving a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor.
Propulsion

174 mph
280 kph | 151 kts
Max Speed

21,325 ft
6,500 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

435 miles
700 km | 378 nm
Operational Range

2,362 ft/min
720 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the HAL LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) Light Attack Helicopter.

2
(MANNED)
Crew

51.8 ft
15.80 m
O/A Length

43.6 ft
(13.30 m)
O/A Width

15.4 ft
(4.70 m)
O/A Height

18,739 lb
(8,500 kg)
Empty Weight

28,186 lb
(12,785 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the HAL Prachanda Light Attack Helicopter provided across 4 hardpoints.

STANDARD:
1 x 20mm M621 cannon in Nexter THL-20 chin-turret installation.

OPTIONAL:
Air-to-Air missiles, Anti-tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs), Anti-radiation missiles, Rocket Pods, Conventional Drop Ordnance (Cluster, Iron Bombs), gun pods, and cannon pods.

X

Hardpoints Key:

Centerline

Wingroot(L)

Wingroot(R)

Wing

Wingtip

Internal

Not Used

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the HAL Prachanda family line.

Prachand / Prachanda - Base Series Name.

LCH ("Light Combat Helicopter") - Project Designation.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/05/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The HAL LCH ("Light Combat Helicopter") is an indigenous Indian attack helicopter currently in development as of this writing. It is reported that two prototypes have been developed to date and have been undertaking flight trials. Upon inception, the LCH will stock the inventories of both the Indian Army air arm and the Indian Air Force. First flight of the machine occurred on March 29th, 2010. Development of the LCH is being handled by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, otherwise known as "HAL".

The Indian LCH concept was born in a 2006 initiative to provide an indigenous attack helicopter design to fulfill primary roles in both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. HAL has already garnered much in the way of experience by designing, developing and producing the "Dhruv" series of multirole helicopters introduced in 2002. Thusly, this knowledge was utilized extensively within the design of the new required attack platform - known under the generic program name of "LCH". At the end of its developmental and evaluation cycles, the LCH should compare favorably to contemporary attack mounts such as the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra and the Eurocopter Tiger.

The LCH design exhibits a sleek exterior. The weapons specialist and pilot are seated in a stepped tandem arrangement cockpit with the gunner in front and the pilot at the rear. The cockpit offers excellent views from all angles and sports some framing. Ahead of the cockpit is a short nose housing sensitive systems as well as a chin-mounted cannon. The fuselage is thin in the front profile. The engine nacelles are contoured nicely along the sides of the fuselage at amidships and power a low-mounted, four-bladed main rotor mast and four-bladed tail rotor, the latter driven by a shaft running inside the empennage. The tail rotor is set to face off of the starboard side of the aircraft. The empennage is elevated in the design and requires a special rear landing gear leg for support when on the ground. The undercarriage, as a whole, consists of the rear support leg and a pair of main landing gear legs to either side of the forward fuselage. Each leg is heavily strutted for the rigors of daily operation and to absorb a full-impact crash landing. The undercarriage will remain fixed during flight as is not retractable. The empennage also fits a single vertical tail fin and horizontal planes. There are two short wingstubs for the mounting of munitions, external fuel stores and specialized equipment pods as needed.

Power for the LCH airframe is provided by 2 x HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engines delivering 1,400 shaft horsepower each. This will allow the LCH a top speed of 170 miles per hour with a cruising speed equal to 160 miles per hour. Range is said to be out to 342 miles and a service ceiling of 21,300 feet is being reported based on the prototypes. Rate-of-climb is estimated to be 2,362 feet per minute. All told, the LCH should be a quick and nimble end-product worthy of the modern battlefield. At any rate, it will provide a major move forward for the Indian defense industry that, for decades, had long relied on outside help to stock its inventories.

Like other up-and-coming helicopter designs of the modern age, the LCH is said to field stealth features (in the way of composites) that reduce its radar signature against enemy tracking systems. Its cockpit utilizes state of the art systems and functions intended to ease crew workload yet increase mission efficiency. The cockpit will be "all-glass" and wholly digital, dominated by a pair of multi-function displays (MFD) at each cockpit position. Data-sharing will be integral in its design and provide for real-time mission assessments and communications between other allied parties. The helicopter will also integrate a FLIR system, TV as well as a laser range-finder and laser designation system, the latter not requiring a target to be "lazed" by allied infantry. As the helicopter's role will be low-altitude in nature, strategic armoring of key systems and cockpit will be in order. Helmet mounted sights will provide mission pertinent information to each pilot and aim the chin turret cannon within the limits of its firing and elevation arcs. Defense will be handled by a basic chaff and flare dispensing unit as well as radar and laser warning receivers.

As an attack helicopter, the LCH will field a French-designed 20mm M621 cannon system as standard. This weapon will be installed inside of a French-based Nexter-brand THL-20 series powered turret which will be operated by either crewmember via helmet and overriding hand controls. Primary anti-armor weaponry will be the Helina air-to-surface, anti-tank, guided missile. Additionally, the LCH will be cleared to field mission-specific homing missiles such as an anti-radiation type for destroying enemy radar installations. Other ordnance packages will see the fitting of multi-shot rocket launcher pods and even conventional drop bombs and cluster bombs. All external ordnance will be mounted across four hardpoints under each wingstub installation (two hardpoints to a wing).

It was expected that the LCH would join the ranks of the Indian Air Force during 2012 but delays in the program ensured it would be later. The Indian Air Force has 65 LCH on order with the Army scheduled to receive 114 of the type. Sri Lanka has ordered 20 as the first foreign operator.

At the start of 2015, there are 65 LCHs on order for the Indian Air Force and 114 for Indian Army Aviation.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

November 2016 - the Indian Defense Acquisition Council approved the purchase of 15 LCH platforms. The deal sees ten serving with the Indian Air Force and five set to serve with the Indian Army.

January 2018 - The LCH has made its first-flight on January 31st, 2018.

August 2020 - An LCH has been delivered to the high-altitude Indian operating base at Leh in the country's north.

September 2022 - The HAL LCH was formally inducted into Indian service under the name of "Prachand / Prachanda".

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the HAL Prachanda. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 10 Units
Contractor(s): Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) - India

[ India; Sri Lanka (ordered) ]

1 / 1

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Going Further...
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