In a major boost to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally hand over the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) to the Indian Air Force (IAF) Friday. The event will take place during the ‘Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv,’ which will take place from November 17 to 19 in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also present drones/UAVs designed and developed by Indian startups to Chief of the Army Staff. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) manufactured Advanced Electronic Warfare suite for naval ships will be handed over to the Chief of Naval Staff.
PM Modi will reach Jhansi for the event after visiting Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh, where he will also inaugurate multiple development projects.
PM Modi had tweeted on Thursday: “I will be in Mahoba and Jhansi tomorrow, 19th November to inaugurate various development projects which will benefit the Bundelkhand region. This includes key projects relating to overcoming the problems of water shortage.”
“I am proud that indigenously designed and developed equipment will be handed over to the Armed Forces Service Chiefs. The foundation stone for the Jhansi node of the UP Defence Corridor will also be laid. Here are more details…”, PM Modi wrote in his subsequent Tweet.
I am proud that indigenously designed and developed equipments to will be handed over to the Armed Forces Service Chiefs. The foundation stone for the Jhansi node of the UP Defence Corridor will also be laid. Here are more details…https://t.co/oNaargWub5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 18, 2021
BJP also informed about the same through its official Twitter account.
India is becoming Aatmanirbhar in Defence!
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 18, 2021
After bullet proof jackets and guns, these Light Combat Helicopters will be handed over to the Indian Air Force by PM Shri @narendramodi in Jhansi on 19th November 2021. pic.twitter.com/YazonfUOjO
“Aatmanirbhar Defence paving the way for Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, Tweeted Union Minister Piyush Goyal as he shared pictures of the first made-in-India combat helicopter.
Boosting India’s Aerial Firepower!
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) November 18, 2021
Have a look at our indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters which will be handed over to the Indian Air Force by PM @NarendraModi ji in Jhansi tomorrow.
Aatmanirbhar Defence paving the way for Aatmanirbhar Bharat.🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/W55wlBLTG0
The Made-in-India light combat helicopter
The LCH is the first made-in-India dedicated combat helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). The helicopter is loaded with modern technologies and stealth features for effective combat duties.
The helicopter has been tested in both extreme high altitude zones along Tibet’s northern border and the plains along Pakistan’s western frontier. Moreover, the helo has been tested in Ladakh, where India and China are at odds, and on the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battleground, where Indian and Pakistani troops have clashed since 1984.
The first indigenous helicopter is equipped with a Shakti engine developed by HAL with French engine-maker Safran (earlier called Turbomeca). The 5.5-tonne helicopter is designed to operate at an altitude of up to 20,000 feet and is capable of taking off and landing at altitudes ranging from 5000 meters to 16,400 feet, that too with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.
Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter for IAF :
— Major Pradeep Shoury Arya., I.R.S. SHAURYA CHAKRA (@ShouryArya) November 18, 2021
Designed & Developed by HAL !
Only Attack Helicopter in the world, which can takeoff & land at 5000 M altitude with considerable load of weapons & fuel, significantly augmenting fire power
To be deployed at Line of Actual Control pic.twitter.com/uWrOP4uhXM
It operates at temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius on snow peaks and as high as 50 degrees Celsius in the desert.
Equipped to also carry air-to-air and an anti-armour missile, LCH currently has a 20 mm gun and 70 mm rockets on board. The canon that is mounted below its nose is capable of piercing light armour with a thousand 20-millimetre bullets each minute. The 70 mm rockets it carries are placed on the pods on either side. The LCH can also be armed with an air-to-air missile and an anti-armour missile, however, both these weapons are currently missing on the LCH.
The LCH has successfully test-fired MBDA’s Mistral air-to-air missile, and the HAL has bought and integrated Mistral-specific launchers on the platform. The missile, however, is not currently in the arsenal.
Another feature that makes this made-in-India helicopter unique is that if its avionics and arm are integrated, the helicopter can locate and destroy the target, be it in the air or on the ground. Moreover, during any mission, this attack helicopter can be operated manually.
Last but not least, the LCH can be erected in either a 180-degree or reversed position. It can spin 360 degrees, which means it can also rotate quickly in the air.
