HAL LCH| Updates and Discussions

[Surya 1]

A beast.

 

[KapitaanAli]

 

[drumstick]

This news is too good guys

http://idrw.org/lch-order-in-the-fi...ttack-helicopters-in-early-2021-hal-chairman/

 

[MirageBlue]

First contract finally in sight for the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter

Article link

Freshly confident that an elusive contract for India’s first attack helicopter is in sight, India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has ramped up production of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Bengaluru. With crucial — and sticky — price negotiations complete, HAL is finally reassured that this one’s in the bag.

If HAL is right, and the contract is closed this year, it will be a full four years after the Indian MoD cleared the acquisition in November 2016, a long time for a program that’s been waiting for years, but fleeting by traditional Indian contracting standards.

Speaking in an exclusive interview to Livefist, HAL chairman R. Madhavan said, “That (the order) will come very soon. We have concluded price negotiations. We are now awaiting financial sanction. By the end of this year, we should see the initial order for 15 aircraft. After that we expect orders for more than 150. In fact, assuming we’re receiving the order, we’ve already begun production of five new aircraft immediately. This will allow us to deliver the aircraft earlier than planned, once the order is confirmed.”

...

 

[Zapper]

This news is too good guys

http://idrw.org/lch-order-in-the-fi...ttack-helicopters-in-early-2021-hal-chairman/

Need to induct these in 100s all along our eastern front

 

[MirageBlue]

And while not related to the LCH, the HAL Light Utility Helicopter too is on the verge of completing it's certification phase with final Indian Army demonstration at Ladakh in August. IAF has already given certification.

Indo-Russian copter overdue, India's own LUH speeds up

This August, a pair of HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) prototypes will head to the Siachen glacier for a final capability demonstration to the Indian Army. The two prototypes will provide finishing touches to what has been a highly successful proving exercise to the Army, which plans to induct at least 126 LUH to replace its Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.

The Indian Air Force, which plans to induct at least 60 LUH, is already convinced — certification with the IAF was completed recently. With the final high altitude trials in August with the Army, the LUH will be ready in all respects for operational service, a process that will kick off next year.

...

The LUH achieved initial operational clearance (IOC) in February, with FOC planned for next year, by which time paperwork on inductions will have begun. Both the IAF and Army have expressed confidence in starting procurement procedures, a sign that the LUH has established early maturity. Most work towards FOC will focus on systems and automatic flight control system (AFCS) work until the services issue their requests for quotation (RFQ) with firm requirements.

With a high rate of production planned, LUHs will be churned out from HAL’s Bengaluru rotorcraft facility to replace in-service Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that form a crucial logistical element in India’s high altitude deployments.
..

Formation flight as a gesture of farewell for MA Quraishi, the Chief Designer of LUH at HAL.

 

[Zapper]

And while not related to the LCH, the HAL Light Utility Helicopter too is on the verge of completing

Indo-Russian copter overdue, India's own LUH speeds up

We should scrap both the Ka-226 and AK-203 deals and instead go with large numbers of LUH and P-72 rifle series from SSS Defence

 

[MirageBlue]

We should scrap both the Ka-226 and AK-203 deals and instead go with large numbers of LUH and P-72 rifle series from SSS Defence

View attachment 642017

Not sure if the P-72 carbine and rifles have been handed over to the Army for trials or not. But nevertheless, it is important that indigenous private sector firms be given orders as well. Hopefully the Ministry of Home Affairs will be better than the terrible MoD which moves at a glacial pace on all orders.

 

[Zapper]

Not sure if the P-72 carbine and rifles have been handed over to the Army for trials or not. But nevertheless, it is important that indigenous private sector firms be given orders as well. Hopefully the Ministry of Home Affairs will be better than the terrible MoD which moves at a glacial pace on all orders.

Their snipers have been in testing with NSG & Para SF.
SSS did mention in one of their recent media or twitter (I don't remember exactly) briefings that their entire series will be trailed by IA & Paramilitary units soon

 

[MirageBlue]

Not LCH, but the beautiful HAL Light Utility Helicopters.

Lovely image, tweeted by Grp Cpt HV Thakur.

Over Karnataka Golf Association golf course in Bangalore. Those who've been there will immediately recognise it.

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

The TD-4 LCH in Leh!
The officer in the middle is VCAS Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora, this is a major show of faith by the IAF.

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

EXCLUSIVE: Light Combat Helicopter Deployed With IAF In Ladakh

In a massive show of faith ahead of first orders for the type later this year, a pair of HAL Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) has been operating with the Indian Air Force in Ladakh for a week now. Two LCH airframes flew into Ladakh from Bengaluru last weekend and have been flying armed patrol sorties between Leh and other airbases, including forward areas, in Ladakh as part of a sharp force projection deployment.

The deployment came at the Indian Air Force’s request — a deep show of support for the inbound combat helicopter that will populate units in both the IAF and Indian Army, with total orders expected to top 150. The helicopters themselves aren’t meaningfully armed yet (more on that in a bit), but the deployment is being seen as a robust show of faith in an indigenous aircraft, and perhaps the first such deployment in a live operational setting before formal induction into service.

One of the 2 LCHs broke cover yesterday when IAF vice chief Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora flew in one. Livefist can confirm that the Air Marshal flew the LCH from Thoise to Leh. Flying with an HAL test pilot, the vice chief took off from Thoise in full mission configuration — the LCH was flown to a high-altitude forward helipad with temperatures as high as ISA + 36 deg. The Air Marshal was given a full in-flight demonstration of the helicopter’s handling in extreme conditions. During the flight, the LCH crossed several passes including Khardung La and Chang La near Leh, even carrying out a simulated attack on a high altitude target. After the attack, a simulated aerial combat profile was flown to demonstrate the LCH’s manoeuverability.
While LCH airframes have seen trials in Leh periodically for years, most notably in 2015, the current deployment is hugely significant. Operating with IAF pilots and alongside the IAF’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters (visible in the photograph at Leh below), operational pilots are getting to fly the Indian combat helicopter in a live operational setting for the first time and truly seeing why this purpose-built rotorcraft will be an undoubted asset in that forbidding terrain, and crucially one that can be deployed at those heights all year round.

Speaking in an exclusive interview to Livefist in June, HAL chairman R. Madhavan said, “That (the order) will come very soon. We have concluded price negotiations. We are now awaiting financial sanction. By the end of this year, we should see the initial order for 15 aircraft. After that we expect orders for more than 150. In fact, assuming we’re receiving the order, we’ve already begun production of five new aircraft immediately. This will allow us to deliver the aircraft earlier than planned, once the order is confirmed.”

https://www.livefistdefence.com/202...t-helicopter-deployed-with-iaf-in-ladakh.html

 

[Deino]

EXCLUSIVE: Light Combat Helicopter Deployed With IAF In Ladakh

https://www.livefistdefence.com/202...t-helicopter-deployed-with-iaf-in-ladakh.html

Sorry, but how could the deployment of two prototypes be relevant in terms of added combat capability?

It's a PR-stunt, nothing more.

 

[paritosh]

Sorry, but how could the deployment of two prototypes be relevant in terms of added combat capability?

It's a PR-stunt, nothing more.

Deploying a helicopter in Ladakh, an area with one of the rarest atmosphere doesn’t seem like a PR stunt but a litmus test for a helicopter don’t you think?

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Sorry, but how could the deployment of two prototypes be relevant in terms of added combat capability?

I don't think you read the article. It is not meant to add to combat capability, it is not even an IAF asset.