DTN News: India Joins Elite League Of Countries With LCH’s Successful Inaugural Test Run

DTN News: India Joins Elite League Of Countries With LCH’s Successful Inaugural Test Run

Source: DTN News / ANI By Shashank Shantanu

(NSI News Source Info) BENGALURU, India - May 24, 2010: With the successful first test flight of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on Sunday here, India has joined the elite club of countries having the capability to produce advance fighter choppers. The LCH designed, developed and manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited made its first public appearance at the HAL Airport, marking India’s sturdy progress in development of combat helicopters, all by itself. As the LCH, escorted by two Dhruv choppers, which has also been developed by the HAL, soared into the sky and swiftly approached the sitting area, which was filled with people and dignitaries, a sense of ‘proud’ inadvertently soaked in amongst each and every people present there to witness the historic moment. The LCH and the two Dhruvs flew over the sitting area in an “India” formation one over another before the three disembarked into three different directions. The LCH, which has been developed on the same platform as that of the Dhruv, then came down sharply from amidst the clouds and hovered over a particular place before showcasing its low radius turning capability at a high speed. The LCH, due to its hingless rotor, can also be maneuvered backwards, which is an important feature considering its combative role. It can hit a target six kilometers away with utmost precision both the ground and in air. Talking to ANI, Chief Test pilot Unni Pillai, who put the LCH to some rigorous and extreme maneuver tasks today, said he has flow many helicopters and other aircrafts, but not something as good, and exciting as the LCH. “It is brilliant and far more better that what I have flown till date, and it is meant for our own requirements like operating at higher altitudes,” Pillai said. “I am happy that it (LCH) has taken this shape. Its handling is extremely well.I am quite happy,” he said. Talking about the USP’s of the LCH, Pillai said the maneuverability of the brand new combat chopper is particularly noticeable. “Most important feature of the LCH is its maneuverability. It is stable enough to provide the pilot enough time for weapon delivery i.e. firing at the enemy target. It is an ideal combination of the two,” he said. Responding to a question, Pillai that with the LCH, India has announced its presence in the field with was until now was dominated by the US, Russia and some European countries. HAL chairman Ashok Nayak also described the first test run of the LCH as a great achievement not only for the HAL but also for the whole nation. When asked about the thought behind the LCH, he said the need for an advanced combat helicopter was felt right after the 1999 Kargil War. “It (LCH) is a specific combat helicopter for the armed forces. They felt the need in Kargil War. They wanted a dedicated combat aircraft,” he said. Responding to a question about the time by which the LCH is likely to be ready for induction in the armed forces, Nayak said it would take at least two years. “It will take 500 flights, two years to get operational clearance, and all the weapon and ammunition system would be tested and after that it would be inducted in the airforce.We strongly believe it’ll be inducted in the India Army also. (ANI)

DTN News: India Light Combat Helicopter LCH To Take First Test Flight By Month-End

DTN News: India Light Combat Helicopter LCH To Take First Test Flight By Month-End *Source: DTN News / By Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - February 13, 2010: India’s first indigenously made Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) will be making its maiden flight soon, most likely by the end of this month. Managing Director of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter complex R Srinavasan today said development of the LCH was well on its way and the attack helicopter would have its initial flight very soon. “The LCH has successfully completed its initial ground test runs,” he told a seminar on helicopters, Helipower India, organised by the Rotary Wing Society of India The twin-engine LCH is a pure attack helicopter made by the design experience gained from the Dhruv Advance Light Helicopter developed by the HAL. Currently around 100 Dhruv helicopters are being used by the Indian armed forces and paramilitary forces like the Coast Guard and the BSF, civil operators like Pawan Hans and the ONGC, and state governments like Jharkhand. Dhruv is also being used by foreign countries like Ecuador, Nepal, Mauritius and Male. Development time for the LCH was reduced because most of its components had been already checked out on Dhruv. HAL officials say the attack helicopter will have several advance systems, which are available on very few helicopters worldwide, and it had been developed keeping in mind the Indian terrain and operating conditions. At present the only attack helicopters available with the IAF are Russian-made Mi-25 and Mi-35, which are not optimised for operations at high altitude. Experts say if during Kargil war, which was fought at very high altitude, the LCH was operational the scenario would have been very different. The Shakti engine being used in the LCH has been jointly developed by the HAL and Turbomeca of France with primary focus on high altitude operation in Himalayas. Besides operations at very high altitudes, it is expected to meet operational requirements like air support, anti-infantry and anti-armour roles. Best advance systems have been fitted on the helicopter, procured from different vendors worldwide that will ensure cutting edge technology to our defence operators, HAL officials say. The HAL has also carried out modifications on some variants of its Dhruv chopper for anti-Naxalite operations with suggestions from paramilitary forces involved in anti-Naxal operations. The two-day conference is being attended by civil and military helicopter pilots and professionals, besides representatives of chopper producing firms and officials of civil aviation and defence ministries.

DTN News: Indian Indigenous Attack Copter Ready For First Flight

DTN News: Indian Indigenous Attack Copter Ready For First Flight *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - February 11, 2010: India’s first indigenous light combat helicopter (LCH) may embark on its first flight this month.

Being built at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bangalore, the LCH completed its first ground run on February 4. Based on the LCH’s performance that day, its developers believe that the attack helicopter will be ready to fly soon. “There are some minor issues to be taken care of. Its performance [during the first ground run] was more than satisfactory,” a senior HAL official said. There have been enough indications that the LCH — to be armed with guns and different types of missiles and rockets — would be inducted in large numbers into the air force and the army by the end of 2011. Almost 200 of them are expected to be in service with the Indian military. The ground run, carried out for the first time on February 4, would be repeated regularly in the next few days. During these ground runs, the LCH would be fine-tuned for its first flight. The LCH was announced in 2006 to meet the operational requirements of both the air force and the army for close air support and anti-infantry and anti-armour roles. It would also work in very high altitudes. The twin-engine LCH is derived from the HAL’s Dhruv advance light helicopter, which is already in service. The LCH flies on the Shakti engine, which is jointly developed by HAL and Turbomeca of France. Over the next two years, HAL officials are hopeful of obtaining the final operational clearance for the LCH and starting December 2011, it could be ready for induction. According to the present design projections, the LCH would be heavily armed — it would carry a 20-mm cannon, four types of missiles (air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-radiation, and anti-tank), rocket pods, grenade launchers and cluster bombs.