Hal’s Light Combat Helicopter is deployed for Operations in Light. File | Photo Credit: Neither
On Friday (March 28, 2025), the Ministry of Defense signed two contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to buy 156 indigenous lighting helicopters (LCH), as well as training and related equipment, over 62,700 GBP, with the exception of taxes.
The Indian Army gets 90 helicopters, while the remaining 66 is designed for the Indian Air Force. The contracts were signed soon after the agreement received the final sanction from the Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS).
“The offer of these helicopters will start from the third year and will be distributed in the next five years. The contracts will improve the combat capability of the armed forces at high altitudes,” the Defense Ministry said.
It is the first Indian Indigeninely designed and developed combat helicopter designed to operate at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. The helicopter also has a large number of components designed and produced in India, and during this order it is planned to achieve a total indigenous content of more than 65%, the ministry said. “It will include more than 250 domestic companies, mostly MSME, and will generate more than 8,500 direct and indirect jobs,” he added.
Flight Refeller Deal
The Ministry also signed a contract with Metrea Management for Wet Leasing of One Flight of the Refeller Aircraft (FRA) for IAF pilots and the Navy in air-to-air replenishment. “Metrea will provide one KC135 aircraft in six months, which will be the first FRA to be rented,” he added.
Another main agreement on the purchase of 97 light combat aircraft (LCA), MK1A, will be completed in the next few months.
High helicopter
Both the army and IAF have already mentioned LCH, while 15 production models with limited series have been approved at the price of 4264 crore, with 10 going to IAF and five for the army. IAF put LCH in 143 helicopters “Dhanush” on Jodhpur Air Force in October 2022. The army raised the first squadron Lch 1.
The Twin-ENGine LCH designed and developed by HAL is 5 tons of 8 tons of reserved combat helicopter. After the Kargil conflict of 1999, it was conceptualized when a need for such a reserved platform was able to operate at high altitudes. It is the only offensive helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m (16,400 ft) with a significant load of weapons and fuel, which significantly expands the IAF and armies in high altitude areas. The helicopter has a 500 km combat radius, which goes to the ceiling of the service ceiling of 21,000 feet, which is ideal to work in areas with a high altitude of Siachen glacier.
LCH is armed with a 20 mm nasal gun, 70 mm missiles, anti-tank guide “Dhruvastra” and MBDA’s air-to-air Misl-2, which has a maximum of 6.5 km.
Published – March 28, 2025 23:01 is
