News: The President of India undertook a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter PRACHAND at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
About Light Combat Helicopter PRACHAND
- About: Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) ‘Prachand’ is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured multirole attack helicopter.
- The name ‘Prachand’ means “fierce,” “powerful,” or “intense” in Sanskrit.
- Developed by: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under Project Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).
- Features of LCH Prachand:
- Design & Performance: It is built with a modern glass cockpit, crashworthy structure, and low-RCS canted panels, supported by an integrated dynamic system, hingeless main rotor, and bearingless tail rotor for better high-altitude performance.
- Low-Observability Design: Its survivability features include an Infrared suppressor, Counter Measures Dispensing System (CMDS), and an anti-resonance isolation system.
- Sensors: It is also equipped with an electro-optical (EO) pod, electronic warfare (EW) suite, and helmet-mounted display.
- Weapons: It carries a 20mm gun, 70mm rockets, ATAM, and ATGM, enabling precision missions across air-to-air and air-to-ground roles.
- High-Altitude Capability: It operates up to 6,000–6,500 metres (19,700–21,300 ft), making it suitable for missions in areas like Siachen Glacier and Eastern Ladakh.
- Advanced Avionics: It is equipped with an integrated data link for network-centric warfare, enhancing coordination and force multiplication.
- Modern Systems: It includes the Elbit CoMPASS sensor suite, Integrated Architecture Display System (IADS), and Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS).
