HAL receives RFP for 15 limited series LCH from IAF and Army

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) today said it has received a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 15 Limited Series Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army. LCH is a 5.5-ton class, combat helicopter designed and developed by HAL.

The RFP for LCH comes days after IAF issued the request for proposal to HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas light combat aircraft at a cost of over Rs 50,000 crore.

Powered by two Shakti engines, the LCH inherits many technical features of the Advanced Light Helicopter, HAL said in a release. Stating that presently, four technology demonstrators are under flight testing, it said the LCH has the distinction of being the first attack helicopter to land in the forward bases at Siachen, 5,400 metres above sea level.

In August, the then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had launched the production of LCH at Bengaluru and IOC documents of the basic version were handed over to HAL by Center for  Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

HAL said the features that are unique to LCH are sleek  and narrow fuselage, tri-cycle crashworthy landing gear,  crashworthy and self-sealing fuel tanks, armour protection and low visibility features which makes the helicopter lethal, agile and survivable.

The helicopter would have day/night targeting systems for the crew including the helmet pointed sight and  electro-optical pod consisting of CCD camera/FLIR/Laser Range  Finder(LRF)/Laser Designator(LD), it said. The LCH is fitted with Self Protection Suite consisting of Radar/Laser Missile warning systems and Countermeasures dispensing system.