HAL Light Combat Helicopter

HAL Light  Combat  Helicopter 

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is a multi-role  combat helicopter designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Center (RWR&DC) and manufactured by Hindustan  Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It has been ordered for both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. 

Role: Attack helicopter 

Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 

First flight: 29 March 2010

Status: In production 

Number built: 4

Unit Cost: US $20.2 millions 

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was proposed to meet IAF’s requirement of a dedicated light helicopter for combat operations. LCH has maximum possible commonality with ALH. LCH with a narrow fuselage has pilot and co-pilot/gunner in tandem configuration incorporating a number of stealth features, Armour protection, Night attack capability and crash worthy landing gear for better survivability. 

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is a multirole combat helicopter, designed to perform various attack profiles, including relatively high altitude flight. Equipped with a two-person tandem cockpit to accommodate a pilot and co-pilot/gunner, it has been developed to perform both the anti-infantry and anti-armour missions. In addition to these roles, the LCH is intended to be used for a variety of operational purposes, such as to perform air defence against slow-moving aerial targets, including both manned aircraft and unmanned  aerial vehicles(UAVs), participation in counter-insurgency operations (COIN) and Counter Surface Force Operations (CSFO), the destruction  of enemy air defence and wider offensive use during urban  warfare conditions, escort to special heliborne operations (SHBO), support of combat searchand rescue (CSAR) operations, and armed aerial scouting duties.

The major features of LCH are:

• Glass Cockpit
• Crashworthy bottom structure
• Crashworthy fixed tricycle type with tail wheel landing gear
• Canted flat panels for low Radar Cross Section
• Integrated Dynamic System
• Hinge less Main Rotor / Bearing less Tail Rotor
• Anti-Resonance Isolation System
• Integrated Architecture and Display System (IADS)
• IR Suppressor
• Counter Measuring Dispensing System (CMDS)
• EO pod, Helmet Mounted Display System & EW suite
• 20mm Gun, 70mm Rocket & Missiles
• Air to Air Missiles (ATAM)
• Air to Ground Missiles (ATGM)

Airfare:

It's crew compartment is armor protected against 7.62 mm & 12.7 mm heavy machine gun bullets. It's empty weight is 2250 kg and maximum take off weight is 5800 kg. In internal fuel its range is 550 km but with drop tanks it can be increased to 700 km.

It's engine is protected by infrared suppressor and digital camouflage reduces its heat signature. It's flat panel minimizes its radar cross section.

It's fuel tank ia built with self healing material. After being shot it can heal itself from inside and do not allow a fuel leakage.

Sensor:

LCH is a network centric attack helicopter, its advance integrated data link allows it to carry out network centric operations. It can transfer mission data to airborne & ground based platforms. 

     cockpit of LCH

In the nose  of LCH there is an integrated target acquisition and designation system comprises of a CCD camera, forward looking infrared (FLIR) imaging sensor, laser rangefinder and laser designator to acquire target under all wether conditions. With these sensor the pilot can easily acquire the target by helmet mounted sight.

Armament:

The M621 cannon is integrated into a hemet- mounted sight. It have  70 mm rockets, Mistral-2 air-to-air missile and Helina ATGM.

Specification:

Crew: 2

Length: 15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 4.6m (15 ft 1 in)

Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)

Max. take off weight: 5800 kg

Payload: 700 kg weapons 

Engine: 2× HAL/ Turbomeca Shakti-1h1 turboshaft,                      1032 kW each

Performance:

Max. Speed: 269 km/h

Range: 550 km (340 mi) with weapons 

Endurance: 3 hours 10 minutes 

Service ceiling: 6500 m (21300 ft)

Rate of climb: 12 m/s (2400 ft/min)

Armament:

Gun: 20 mm M621 cannon 

Hardpoint: 4

Rockets: 70 mm ( 4 rocket pods with 12 rockets in                          each pod)

Missiles: 2× Mistral-2 air-to-air missiles,

                4× Helina ATGM 

Bomb: Cluster bombs, unguided bombs, generade.                    launchers 

Operators:

Limited series production- 15 IOC units ordered, 10 for Indian Air Force (IAF) & 5 for Indian Army Air Corps (AAC)

India Air Force: 65 on order 

Indian Army: 114 on order