India's Ministry of Defence Initiates Major Expansion with HAL Light Combat Helicopter Procurement

India’s Ministry of Defence has initiated a significant expansion of its attack helicopter capabilities with a request for proposal (RFP) for 156 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Helicopters (LCH). HAL confirmed the issuance of the RFP in a brief stock exchange filing on 17 June.

The RFP specifies that 90 LCHs are intended for the Indian Army, while the remaining 66 will be allocated to the Indian Air Force. Although details on delivery timelines and the contract’s total value were not disclosed by HAL, Indian media outlets estimate the deal could be worth approximately Rs450 billion ($5.4 billion).

Currently, HAL operates 15 LCHs, with 10 serving in the Indian Air Force and 5 with the Army. The Indian Air Force received its first LCH in November 2021, and the helicopter was formally inducted in October 2022 under the name ‘Prachanda,’ which means ‘Fierce’ in Sanskrit.

India's Ministry of Defence Initiates Major Expansion with HAL Light Combat Helicopter Procurement — India’s Ministry of Defence Initiates Major Expansion with HAL Light Combat Helicopter Procurement

The LCH is designed for a variety of missions, including combat search and rescue, destruction of enemy air defenses, counter-insurgency operations, and high-altitude bunker busting. It is also equipped to engage unmanned aerial vehicles and slow-moving aircraft.

Development of the LCH began in response to lessons learned during the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan, emphasizing the need for a versatile attack helicopter capable of operating effectively at high altitudes.

The design and development process was initiated in 2006, with the Indian Army formally committing to the project in December 2013. The LCH features a twin-tandem layout, a chin-mounted 20mm gun, 70mm rockets, MBDA Mistral anti-tank missiles, and an electro-optical/infrared targeting pod.

Survivability enhancements include ballistic protection and measures to minimize its radar, infrared, visual, and aural signatures.

In addition to the LCH, India’s armed helicopter fleet comprises other platforms such as 22 Boeing AH-64E Apaches and 56 Rudra Mk. IVs, and 15 Mil Mi-24 variants, as per data from Cirium fleets.

The forthcoming procurement of 156 LCHs marks a substantial advancement in India’s defense capabilities and represents a major opportunity for HAL to consolidate its position as a leading aerospace manufacturer in the region.