HAL gets Rs50,000-cr defence ministry order for 156 Light Combat Helicopters

Ministry of defence has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the purchase of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), estimated to cost around Rs50,000 crore.

Of this, 90 are meant for the Army and 66 are for the Air Force.

The acquisition of the LCH, called Prachand, will enhance the military’s combat capability, especially when operating at high altitudes.

The LCH is capable of operating in altitudes of up to 5,000 metres and has already been deployed in high altitude areas like Ladakh and Siachen.

HAL, which has so far produced 15 units of LCH Prachand, including ten for the IAF and five for the Army, will now start serial production of the helicopter. HAL plans to complete delivery of the helicopters in five to six years after the signing of the contract.

With a maximum speed of 288 mph, a combat radius of 500 kilometers, and a flight ceiling of 21,000 feet, the helicopter is capable of ground and aerial combat.

LCH Prachand is India’s first indigenous multi-role combat helicopter, which has been customised to meet the requirements of the Indian armed forces’ operating in deserts and mountains.

Deployment of these helicopters along the eastern and western borders would help boost deterrence with China and Pakistan.

The LCH order comes months after the IAF placed a huge order for the LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft with HAL. The defence ministry awarded a contract for 97 light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1A) to HAL in April 2024. The aircraft acquisition is expected to cost the government about Rs67,000 crore.