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UPSC Essentials: Made-In-India Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

1. Why in News?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will induct on Monday the first batch of indigenously-developed Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), in a boost to its combat prowess as the multi-role platform is capable of firing a range of missiles and other weapons.

• The LCH, developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), has been primarily designed for deployment in high-altitude regions.
• It will be inducted into the IAF inventory at a ceremony in Jodhpur in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, officials said on Sunday.

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH):

• LCH is a new addition to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL’s) helicopter division. This twin-engine helicopter is a dedicated combat helicopter of 5 to 8-tonne class.
• The helicopter is equipped with requisite agility, manoeuvrability, extended range, high altitude performance and around-the-clock, all-weather combat capability to perform roles of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD), Counter Insurgency (CI) operations.
• It is also an effective asset to counter slow-moving aircraft and Remotely-Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) and can be deployed in high-altitude bunker-busting operations, and counter-insurgency operations both in the jungle and urban environments.
• It can effectively support ground forces in various combat scenarios.
• The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.
• It is effective even in temperatures ranging from minus 50 degrees Celsius on snow peaks to 50 degrees Celsius in the desert.
• LCH will eventually be deployed along the Line of Actual Control with China, in addition to the AH-64E Apache helicopters in service.

Light-Combat-Helicopter

AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopter

• Better known as an attack helicopter are received from the Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, USA

The capabilities of the AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopter includes: 

• It can carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the
• It can transmit and receive battlefield pictures through data uplinking and
• It can also shoot fire and forget anti-tank guided missiles, air-to-air missiles, rockets while providing versatility to helicopters in network-centric aerial
• It also carries fire control radar, which has a 360° coverage and a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.

AH-64E-Apache-Attack-Helicopter

Apache Helicopter vs Light Combat Helicopter

The difference between the Apache Helicopter and the HAL Light Combat Helicopter is as follows:

• The Apache is a meter shorter than the LCH although it has a marginally larger wing-span and is slightly taller in height.
• The Apache is 3,148 kilos lighter than the LCH.
• The HAL LCH is powered by 2 Shakti turboshaft engines with 1,430 horsepower each.
• The Boeing Apache helicopter is powered by 2 General Electric T700 GE 701C turboshaft engine capable of delivering 1,890 horsepower each.
• Although, the LCH has an edge over the Apache in another area — range. It’s capable of surveilling targets up to 700 kilometres away while flying 6,500 meters in the The Apache only has a range of 480 kilometres and can reach a ceiling of 6,400 meters.
• The Apache is also equipped with 16 AGM-114 ‘Hellfire’ Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) in addition to four Hydra-70 19-shot Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) rocket pods, and four auxiliary fuel tanks.
• Since the Apache choppers have stronger engines, they’re also capable of delivering higher The LCH’s top speed is 280 kph while the Apache can hit 295 kph.