• The Army’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand successfully carried out inaugural firing of 70 mm rockets and 20 mm turret guns both by day and night.
• Both the Army and the Air Force have inducted the indigenous LCH in small numbers.
• A bigger contract for 156 indigenous LCH, 90 for Army and 66 for the Air Force, estimated to cost ₹45,000 crore is expected to be taken up by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) soon.

ABOUT PARCHAND

• The Prachand is India’s first indigenous multi-role combat helicopter, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• Prachand is the world’s only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,400 ft).
• A 8-tonne class combat helicopter, the Prachand can fly at a maximum speed of 288 kmph and has a combat radius of 500 km, which can go up to a service ceiling of 21,000 feet.
• The helicopter is fitted with Shakti Engine, which is co-developed by HAL and France’s Safran.
• The helicopter received operational clearance in 2017.
• The LCH is armed with 20 mm nose gun and 70 mm rockets along with helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missile and a new air-to-air missile different from the ‘Mistral-2’ from MBDA on the IAF LCH.
• The helicopter can carry out activities such as Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (DEAD), operations against slow-moving aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs), high-altitude bunker busting operations, counter-insurgency operations in the jungle and urban environments and provide support to ground forces.