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HAL LCH| Updates and Discussions

Source:- defenceupdate.in
The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is a multirole combat helicopter being developed in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for use by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.

The LCH is a twin-engine helicopter of 5.8-ton class designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of Indian defence forces. LCH was proposed to meet IAF’s requirement of a dedicated light helicopter for combat operations.

HAL claims that the LCH is designed to carry out dedicated combat roles such as Air Defence, anti-tank, scout and support combat search/rescue missions. It incorporates a number of stealth features such as reduced visual, aural, radar and infra-red signatures and crashworthy landing gear, armour protection for better survivability. The helicopter is powered by two Shakti engines. There are plans to produce LCH in large numbers to meet the operational requirements.



The Kargil war gives us much lessons to the IAF to conduct not only Armed Combat air patrol, but mean time support the Friendly Troops who is fighting against the enemy in tough conditions. So IAF put an requirement of Combat Helicopters building in India, The HAL taken the decision to make the dream into reality by flying first LCH prototype by 2010, within three years of program gets sanctioned by the Government.
LCH will not only help us in war scenario in low altitudes regions like Thar, Rajasthan but also help us in defeating our enemy in Siachen glacier. In past we have to send our army in Siachen without any direct fire support from heavy weapons. All they had was what they could carry on their backs to fight enemy but deployment of LCH in this region will help our army to defeat our enemy in high altitude region. Last week, for the first time ever, an attack helicopter landed at a forward picquet in Siachen. The indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), designed and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), performed several such landings as a part of its “hot and high” trials in Ladakh.



As per initial plans more than 200 combat helicopters procured 65% of them falls in the Army Aviation wing balance for Indian Air force, the first prototype flown in 2010 and performed 20 minutes of flight operations near HAL area. the next prototype unveiled in Aero india 2011, just a Year after first flight, the second Prototype with plenty of modifications and comes with weapons system like the 20mm Nexter cannon, where the first prototype is just the helicopter with attack helicopters characteristics,

The third Prototype flown end of 2014 with improved characteristics like modified defensive suites weapon fittings, control elements and decreased weight, during the early periods th TD 1 and TD 2 ( Technical demonstrator ) carried out lots of trails like low flying High Flying, sea level weapon firing and lots more, the fourth Prototype is expected to be flown before this year, where HAL is in final works to roles out it.

Compared to other Light combat Helicopter platforms like Chinese Z 10 and Euro copter Tiger , the LCH designed for Indian conditions, to conduct operations in High Altitudes like Leh and low altitudes like Thar, Rajastan also it can perform missions in Minus zero degree Ladakh’s to hot Thar conditions.
Meanwhile the LCH stand behind other counterparts, where LCH still in design and developments stages, as per reports if all the parameters achieved with in 2017, the LCH can out perform Chinese and Pakistani Z 10 and can challenge the European Tiger Helicopter,


The LCH didn’t perform night Trails, and guided weapon firing Trails, Now HAL testing the platform for better Aerodynamic characteristics and defensive suites like ECM and Infrared counter measure system,

LCH already been evaluated with the defensive system earlier, and being in tests with Target acquisition systems and Weapon control system, LCH comes with twin back by back seat configuration for better performance same like other modern combat helicopters, the Pilot can Handle the Helicopters movements and controls the primary cannon, where the weapons officer helps the pilot to navigate and help to choose the correct weapon system, communicating with the ground bases, controls nearby Unmanned aircrafts and more,

The LCH’s primary Target acquisition system is the FLIR ( Forward Looking Infrared ) pod, who can lock ground and air targets, analyses the threats and engage the proper weapon, also the laser designator and Range finder allows the Helicopter to classify the threat levels and portions and it’s moving speed. those are all synchronized with the Pilots Helmet, allows him to react faster.

The main fire arm of the LCH is the Nexter 20 mm cannon it can hold some 800 rounds of ammunition, with an effective range of 2500 feet, also it comes with four hard points two in each wing to carry unguided Rockets and guided Air to air or anti armour missiles, The LCH designed to carry set of two Mistral Air to air missiles for Air operations to shoot down enemy helicopters Turbo prop special mission Transports and low flying UAV’s, otherwise it can carry LAHAT Anti Tank or Helina Anti Tank missiles for Anti armour and ground operations, also the LCH can use combination of all the above missiles and Rocket pods.

As per recent reports two more prototypes will be build for testing and evaluation and HAL plans to achieve the FOC by 2020 and mass produce the Helicopters by 2021,
Source:- defenceupdate.in
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First flight of LCH TD4 successfully carried out on 1st December 2015. Performance of the 18 mins flight was found satisfactory.
Weight further reduced.
TD4 incorporates improvements from flight testing feedback from TD3.
TD3 and TD4 will be be extensively used for testing mission sensors, weapon systems and firing trials.
Wg Cdr Unni Pillai and Wg Cdr SP John carried out the flight.

Am not able to post the pic.
Info from Minsk square matters December 2015 january 2016 edition.
First flight of LCH TD4 successfully carried out on 1st December 2015. Performance of the 18 mins flight was found satisfactory.
Weight further reduced.
TD4 incorporates improvements from flight testing feedback from TD3.
TD3 and TD4 will be be extensively used for testing mission sensors, weapon systems and firing trials.
Wg Cdr Unni Pillai and Wg Cdr SP John carried out the flight.
 
First flight of LCH TD4 successfully carried out on 1st December 2015. Performance of the 18 mins flight was found satisfactory.
Weight further reduced.
TD4 incorporates improvements from flight testing feedback from TD3.
TD3 and TD4 will be be extensively used for testing mission sensors, weapon systems and firing trials.
Wg Cdr Unni Pillai and Wg Cdr SP John carried out the flight.

Am not able to post the pic.
Info from Minsk square matters December 2015 january 2016 edition.
@Water Car Engineer @PARIKRAMA
 
csJ2YW1.png


You can see TD3 on the lower, left.

The top could be TD4.

r5MNgFh.png


Has all frame changes first shown in TD3, has a new camo scheme. Like a trident design running though.

bharatastra%2Blch%2Btd1.jpg


TD1 has a tiger
 
Last edited:
csJ2YW1.png


You can see TD3 on the lower, left.

The top could be TD4.

r5MNgFh.png


Has all frame changes first shown in TD3, has a new camo scheme. Like a trident design running though.

bharatastra%2Blch%2Btd1.jpg


TD1 has a tiger

csJ2YW1.png


You can see TD3 on the lower, left.

The top could be TD4.

r5MNgFh.png


Has all frame changes first shown in TD3, has a new camo scheme. Like a trident design running though.

bharatastra%2Blch%2Btd1.jpg


TD1 has a tiger
Yupp sir TD4 during laid foundation of HAL new Assembly plant
& according HAL TD4 already complete the maiden flight successfully
 
HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) which took off and landed at forward landing base in the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield last year flew with decent payload at such high altitude (4.8km altitude ) said HAL’s chief T Suvarna Raju.

Raju confirmed that LCH which is first attack helicopter to land and take-off from forward landing base in Siachen with a payload of 400kg. and now has completed performance trials and is paving the way for finalisation of basic IOC Configuration and letter of completion has been handed over by CEMILCA in the presence of defence minister last Oct 2015.

Four LCH Prototypes helicopters currently flying have combined accumulated more than 600 test flights and depending on the customer requirements (Army, Airforce) integration of weapons systems will be taken up so that helicopter can be cleared for weapons trials said, Raju.

LCH performance trials have involved development testing at Bangalore and also under extreme environmental conditions such as cold weather trials at Leh and Hot weather trials at jodhpur and hot and high tests at Leh.

According to HAL, LCH is only attacked helicopter which can operate above 10000-12000 feet altitude with a considerable load of armaments and was first attack helicopter to land at Siachen.

lCH flew at Siachen with decent payload: HAL Chief
 
HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) which took off and landed at forward landing base in the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield last year flew with decent payload at such high altitude (4.8km altitude ) said HAL’s chief T Suvarna Raju.

Raju confirmed that LCH which is first attack helicopter to land and take-off from forward landing base in Siachen with a payload of 400kg. and now has completed performance trials and is paving the way for finalisation of basic IOC Configuration and letter of completion has been handed over by CEMILCA in the presence of defence minister last Oct 2015.

Four LCH Prototypes helicopters currently flying have combined accumulated more than 600 test flights and depending on the customer requirements (Army, Airforce) integration of weapons systems will be taken up so that helicopter can be cleared for weapons trials said, Raju.

LCH performance trials have involved development testing at Bangalore and also under extreme environmental conditions such as cold weather trials at Leh and Hot weather trials at jodhpur and hot and high tests at Leh.

According to HAL, LCH is only attacked helicopter which can operate above 10000-12000 feet altitude with a considerable load of armaments and was first attack helicopter to land at Siachen.

lCH flew at Siachen with decent payload: HAL Chief
400 kilos?sounds not too good and not bad .
 
400 kilos?sounds not too good and not bad .

At that altitude? It's very good. It'll carry more once the testing regimes are done.

++

@Abingdonboy They need to do something about the landing gear legs. Can't leave them that exposed...some prototypes previously showed them with some kind of shroud/cover. Need to bring that back. It'll be good for the eyes as well...as of now it seems the chopper is balancing on matchsticks.

As of the paint job...well, this is still HAL's idea. The earlier digicam was also HAL's decision. The chopper isn't inducted into service yet once IAF gets it, they may choose to repaint it as they please. The current urban camo-looking paint may actually work in the Himalayas which is LCH's preferred playground (saying it because we're most likely to find great use for it there).

That said, I'm actually contemplating what the Apache & Chinook could like in IAF colors! The grey on Apache would either look very good, or very bad.

223017981YOQEkr_ph.jpg


But you have to give it to the Mils though...the Mi-17, Mi-26, Mi-35...all look darn good in IAF grey. Let's hope LCH and Apache can fit right in without looking feral.
 

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