India - Air Force Hindustan LCH XH083

Photographer's remark
(20.8.2023, 08:09 CET)
The LCH is an Indian multi-role, light attack helicopter designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the project Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The true impetus for the development of the LCH Prachand came in the form of the Kargil War, a conflict fought between India and neighboring Pakistan in 1999, which revealed the Indian armed forces lacked a suitable armed rotorcraft capable of operating unrestricted in the high-altitude theatre. The LCH is designed to fulfill the requirements of both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. The LCH has a sleek and modern design, with a composite airframe that makes it light, durable, and well-armored. It is equipped with a variety of weapons and sensors, allowing it to perform various attack profiles, including tracking slow-moving aerial targets, insurgency, destroying enemy defenses, search and rescue, anti-tank, and scouting. It is highly maneuverable and agile, with a high power-to-weight ratio. The HAL LCH is designed to operate in high-altitude and hot weather conditions, which are common in India's northern and western regions. Its flight ceiling is the highest among all attack helicopters in the world. It is powered by two HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engines, each of which can generate up to 1,032 kW (1,384 hp) and can run for up to 3,000 hours without maintenance. The helicopter has a maximum speed of 268-290 km/h and a range of 550-800 km. It has an endurance of up to 3 hours, and it can climb at a rate of 12m/s. The LCH has a maximum takeoff weight of 5,800 kg and can carry a payload of up to 1,750 kg. The helicopter is equipped with advanced sensors and avionics, including a helmet-mounted sight and display system, a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, a laser rangefinder, a glass cockpit with multifunction displays, and a digital moving map system. It also has radar and laser warning receivers, Elbit CoMPASS electro-optical pod, a missile approach warning system, countermeasure dispensing systems, and a missile jammer. Its firepower includes a chin-mounted Nexter M621 20mm turret gun, 70mm rockets, air-to-air missiles, anti-tank missiles, air-to-ground missiles, precision-guided munition, cluster munition, and unguided bombs. Around 160 units have been ordered so far by the armed forces and that number is likely to increase in the future. On 3 October 2022, the LCH was formally inducted into the IAF and was officially named "Prachand", meaning “Intense” in Hindi. XH0823 is seen here resting at Yelahanka Airforce Station, Bengaluru on Day 1 of the AERO INDIA 2023 Air Show.

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