A LETHAL STEP FORWARD WITH PRACHAND

The acquisition of this helicopter made at home is a massive plus for force projection

- NINAD D SHETH

During the Kargil conflict India learned a major lesson that the unforgiving heights of the Himalayas demand machines of a different caliber- especially rotary wing attack helicopters. When Pakistan soldiers were in those freezing heights, a capability to take them out with missiles at ranges of 3 to 6 km would have led to softening up the high perch of the attackers and neutralised quite a lot of the enemies. It would have made the unimaginable heroic counter attack at those heights far less bloody for our soldiers.

In the event this was not to be, but a lesson was learned and it was incorporated into the long process of design collaboration breakthrough research, production and finally induction of attack helicopters with very high-altitude operational capability of 16,000 feet plus.

The result is the Prachand attack helicopter. The twin-engine Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was formally inducted into the 143 Helicopter Unit of the Indian Air Force in Jodhpur on October 3, thus marking the beginning of new versatile homemade platform to help both in the plains on the western front and the high-altitude challenge of the Kashmir and China-front.

The twin engine helicopter is also a very good example of India's strategic relationship with the French. The two "Shakti" engines have been jointly developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with Safran of France. This has included significant technology transfers. It has also incorporated a dedicated MRO facility in Goa to provide back up for keeping the helicopters in operational capability. What is more, the two firms have signed a new joint venture to manufacture new engines for future helicopters of the Indian Air Force.