by Shivam Mishra

HAL launches India's first attack helicopter. Before it joins the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, ABP News brings you an exclusive experience of flying in the Light Combat Helicopter. The HAL Light Combat Helicopter is an Indian multi-role combat helicopter developed and manufactured by Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It has been ordered for both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is an Indian multi-role combat helicopter developed and manufactured by Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It has been ordered for both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. The type is also intended to be sold upon the export market, since 2015, HAL has been seeking other customers for the LCH.The impetus for the development of the LCH came in the form of the Kargil War, a conflict fought between India and neighbouring Pakistan in 1999, which revealed the Indian armed forces to lack a suitable armed rotorcraft capable of operating unrestricted in the high-altitude theatre. Accordingly, both HAL and the Indian armed forces commenced explorative efforts towards the defining of a conceptual combat helicopter to perform in this role. During 2006, the company announced that it had launched a development program to produce such a rotorcraft, referred to simply as the Light Combat Helicopter. Originally, the LCH was anticipated to attain initial operating capability (IOC) by December 2010, however, development of the type was protracted and subject to several delays, some of which having been attributed to suppliers.

The LCH drew extensively on an earlier indigenous helicopter developed and manufactured by HAL, the Dhruv; using this rotorcraft as a starting point has been attributed as significantly reducing the cost of the program. On 29 March 2010, the first LCH prototype performed its maiden flight. An extensive test program, involving a total of four prototypes, was conducted. During the course of these tests, the LCH gained the distinction of being the first attack helicopter to land in Siachen, having repeatedly landed at several high altitude helipads, some of which being as high as 13,600 feet to 15,800 feet. During mid 2016, the LCH was recognised as having completed its performance trials, paving way for the certification of its basic configuration. On 26 August 2017, limited series production of the LCH was formally inaugurated.The impetus for the development of the LCH came in the form of the Kargil War, a conflict fought between India and neighbouring Pakistan in 1999, which revealed the Indian armed forces to lack a suitable armed rotorcraft capable of operating unrestricted in the high-altitude theatre. Accordingly, both HAL and the Indian armed forces commenced explorative efforts towards the defining of a conceptual combat helicopter to perform in this role. During 2006, the company announced that it had launched a development program to produce such a rotorcraft, referred to simply as the Light Combat Helicopter. Originally, the LCH was anticipated to attain initial operating capability (IOC) by December 2010, however, development of the type was protracted and subject to several delays, some of which having been attributed to suppliers.

The LCH drew extensively on an earlier indigenous helicopter developed and manufactured by HAL, the Dhruv; using this rotorcraft as a starting point has been attributed as significantly reducing the cost of the program. On 29 March 2010, the first LCH prototype performed its maiden flight. An extensive test program, involving a total of four prototypes, was conducted. During the course of these tests, the LCH gained the distinction of being the first attack helicopter to land in Siachen, having repeatedly landed at several high altitude helipads, some of which being as high as 13,600 feet to 15,800 feet. During mid 2016, the LCH was recognised as having completed its performance trials, paving way for the certification of its basic configuration. On 26 August 2017, limited series production of the LCH was formally inaugurated.