The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was born in a 2006 as an initiative to provide India with an indigenous attack helicopter to fulfill the primary roles both in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. It is intended for use in air defence against slow moving aerial targets (helicopters and UAVs), destruction of enemy air defence operations, escort to special heliborne operations (SHBO), and support of combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations.
HAL has already garnered much in the way of experience by designing, developing and producing the "Dhruv" series of multirole helicopters. Once inducted after its developmental and evaluation cycles, the LCH should compare favorably to contemporary attack gunships such as the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra and the Eurocopter Tiger but, it is reportedly far superior to its Chinese counterpart the Changhe Z-10 and a host of other types such as the Denel Rooivalk, TAI T-129 ATAK, Agusta A129 Mangusta etc.,
The LCH design exhibits a sleek exterior with a tandem seating arrangement. The cockpit offers excellent views from all angles and sports some framing. Ahead of the cockpit is a short nose housing sensitive systems as well as a chin-mounted cannon. The fuselage is thin in the front profile. The engine nacelles are contoured nicely along the sides of the fuselage at amidships and power a low-mounted, four-bladed main rotor mast and four-bladed tail rotor, the latter driven by a shaft running inside the empennage. The tail rotor is set to face off of the starboard side of the aircraft. The empennage is elevated in the design and requires a special rear landing gear leg for support when on the ground. The undercarriage, as a whole, consists of the rear support leg and a pair of main landing gear legs to either side of the forward fuselage. Each leg is heavily strutted for the rigors of daily operation and to absorb a full-impact crash landing. The empennage also fits a single vertical tail fin and horizontal planes. There are two short wing stubs for mounting munitions, external fuel stores and specialized equipment pods for weapons load The LCH is effective as both an anti-infantry and anti-armour helicopter.
Key Features of the Light Combat Helicopter:
The 5.8 tonne multirole attack chopper is intended to play a major role in providing close air support to ground forces and is the only attack helicopter in the world that can operate at heights of 12,000 feet which is a world record.
It incorporates a number of stealth features such as reduced visual, aural, radar and infra-red signatures.
The LCH can be deployed in various roles, including tracking slow-moving aerial targets, insurgency ops, destroying enemy defences, search and rescue, anti-tank and scouting. A datalink system transmits mission data to mobile platforms and ground stations operating within the network.
The LCH has a glass cockpit accommodating two crew, who sit one behind the other. The cockpit is equipped with multifunction displays, target acquisition and designation systems, and a digital video recorder to capture footage of the battlefield for use in debriefing. A helmet-mounted target system controls the turret guns mounted on the helicopter's fuselage.
The helicopter is equipped with indigenously developed advanced electronic warfare systems and advanced weapons systems
Weapons include a chin-mounted, twin-barrel M621 20mm cannon on a Nexter THL-20 turret, 70mm rockets, MBDA air-to-air, air-to-surface, multi-shot rocket launcher pods and Helina anti-tank guided missiles. Explosive ordnance includes iron bombs, cluster bombs and grenade launchers. Additionally, the LCH will be equipped with anti-radiation missiles for destroying enemy radar installations. All external ordnance will be mounted on four hardpoints under each detachable stud wings. It also features a helmet-mounted targeting system.
The helicopter is also fitted with radar and laser warning receivers, a missile approach warning system, countermeasure dispensing systems and a missile jammer.
The LCH is also equipped with state-of-the-art sensor suite. It includes a charge-coupled device camera, a forward-looking infra-red camera and a laser designator. The two cameras capture the location and position of enemies, ensuring clear visibility during bad weather conditions. The laser range-finder and designator aim laser-guided bombs and missiles towards the target.
The helicopter is also fitted with radar and laser warning receivers, a missile approach warning system, countermeasure dispensing systems and a missile jammer.
The chopper can be fitted with an FLIR and a Solid State Digital Video Recording System (SSDVR) but a Millimetre Wave Radar (MMW) system is absent.
The helicopter is powered by two HAL Shakti turboshaft engines, each of which can generate up to 871kW and can run for up to 3,000 hours without maintenance. Each engine weighs 205kg and has an output speed of 21,000rpm. The engine received European Aviation Safety Agency certification in 2007. It features a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control system, which decreases the work of the pilot by automatically counting engine cycles.
The LCH has a cruise speed of 260km/h and a max speed of 275km/h. It can climb at a rate of 40 feet/s, and its maximum service ceiling is at 21,325 feet. The helicopter has a ferry range of 700km.
The combat helicopter has recently completed a series of all weather (hot and high altitude, sea level, cold weather and hot weather) trials.
The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) which is currently undergoing a series of flight trials, ahead of its certification, successfully fired 70-mm rockets recently.
There are four LCH prototypes in operation now and HAL hopes to leverage from the ALH production experience, once the LCH series production begins.
Wg Commander Unni Pillai (Retd) and Group Capt Hari Nair (Retd) are the two top Test Pilots of HAL spearheading the LCH program.
The plan for expansion of Army Aviation envisages embedding attack and tactical assault helicopters in the three Strike Corps of Indian Army, by integrating an Aviation Brigade each. They would also include reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters for tactical battlefield employment and casualty evacuation. The Army is contemplating acquiring 133 Light Utility Helicopters to replace the ageing Chetak/Cheetah fleet, for which the Russian Kamov Ka-226T was chosen.
The certification firing trials are being planned in April-May 2016. The home-grown LCH project has been receiving great support from IAF following the stupendous performances of the platform during various trials. The need for a light attack helicopter was felt after the Kargil War. All aspects of cockpit ergonomics, sighting and targeting systems, weaponry and survivability have been well designed and developed making the LCH a potent, modern fighting machine. (Text Adapted from Military-Factory & other internet sources)
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