The Ministry of Defence of India today signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the manufacture and supply of 156 LCH Prachand helicopters.
The contract is valued at approximately $7.2 billion (₹ 62,700 crore). The order will be split between the Indian Air Force and the Army: 90 helicopters for the Army and 66 for the Air Force.
The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand was developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the Indian Armed Forces’ requirements for a high-altitude attack helicopter, designed to destroy enemy personnel and equipment, target land-based objectives, provide air support and escort, and conduct aerial reconnaissance.
Development began in 2006 based on the Dhruv helicopter, and the prototype made its first flight on March 29, 2010. In August 2023, HAL completed the delivery of the first batch of 15 LCH helicopters to the Indian Armed Forces.
The contract was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Ministry of Defence of India in November 2023.
Source and images: X @NewsIADN / pib.gov.in. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
