HAL Light Combat Helicopter

The HAL Prachand (lit. 'Fierce/Intense') is an Indian multi-role light attack helicopter designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under Project Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). It has been ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army's Aviation Corps (AAC). On 3 October 2022, the LCH was formally inducted into the IAF and was officially named "Prachand". The impetus for the development of the LCH Prachand came in the form of the Kargil War, a conflict fought between India and neighbouring Pakistan in 1999, which revealed the Indian Armed Forces lacked a suitable armed rotorcraft capable of operating unrestricted in the high-altitude theatre. During 2006, the company announced that it had launched a development programme to produce such a rotorcraft, referred to simply as the LCH or 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 Prachand draws extensively on an earlier indigenous helicopter developed and manufactured by HAL, the HAL Dhruv; using this rotorcraft as a starting point has been attributed as significantly reducing the cost of the programme.

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