HAL Light Combat Helicopter LCH: The light combat helicopter designed and developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a potent weapon platform and the Indian Air Force is keenly looking forward for its production and induction in the force, said IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria on Friday after his maiden flight in the LCH at Bangalore.

“The LCH is a potent platform due to excellent design and development efforts and well supported flight test team. The IAF is keenly looking forward to the induction of this aircraft,” IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria said.

“I am sure HAL will give required focus on productionisation at a fast pace,” added the top officer.

The aircraft took to the skies at 11.45 hours in the morning and remained airborne for an hour.

In his maiden sortie, Indian Air Force chief was accompanied by the HAL’s deputy chief test pilot, wing commander SP John (Retd).

“I was able to look at the important flying characteristics and status of sensors already installed. It was a very good sortie,” Bhadauria said.

India’s state owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) recently completed high altitude flight testing of Light Combat Helicopter in Ladakh and Kashmir region near China and Pakistan border. 

HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)

HAL hopes to win a major contract for supply of indigenously designed and developed combat helicopter to the Indian Air Force under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship AtmaNirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) scheme that emphasises defence procurement from Indian vendors.

R Madhavan, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL assured the IAF Chief that the company was ready for early production of the country’s first light combat aircraft to meet all the requirements of Indian Air Force.