Hindustan LCH
The HAL Light Combat Helicopter, named Prachand in Indian service, is India's first indigenously developed dedicated attack helicopter, built specifically for high-altitude combat along its mountainous northern borders. Its engines and rotor system are optimised for operating at extreme altitude, where thinner air badly hurts most helicopters' lift and power. Armoured protection and a narrow, tandem-cockpit fuselage follow the same basic design template used by Western attack helicopters like the Apache and Mangusta. It reflects India's broader push toward domestically manufactured military equipment rather than continued reliance on imported Russian and Western designs.
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Did you know?
The HAL Light Combat Helicopter is India's first indigenous attack helicopter, built for combat at extreme Himalayan altitudes.
Specifications
| Length | 15.8 m (52 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 4.9 m (16 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 13.3 m (44 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 5.8 t |
| Range | 300 NM (556 km) |
| Service ceiling | 21,000 ft (6,401 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,400 ft/min (12.2 m/s) |
| Engines | 2x HAL/Turbomeca Shakti |
| Units built | 19 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Hindustan LCH starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Hindustan, the LCH family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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