Light Combat Helicopter

Light Combat Helicopter

Role	Attack helicopter
National origin	India
Manufacturer	Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
First flight	29 March 2010
Status	Under development (Flight Trials)
Primary users	Indian Army Indian Air Force
Number built	1
Developed from	HAL Dhruv

Previously known as the LAH (Light attack helicopter), and not to be confused with the Lancer LAH (Light attack Helicopter), which is a derivative of the Cheetah helicopter, HAL's recently rechristened Light Combat Helicopter (LCH ) is a dedicated combat and gunship variant of the existing Advanced Light Helicopter(Dhruv/ALH), being developed to a draft IAF and IA requirement. The LCH belongs to the 5.5 ton class, with a narrow fuselage accommodating a pilot and a gunner/co-pilot in tandem configuartion. The LCH will feature a full glass cockpit for both the pilot and gunner,as well as eye level displays.

1 Development
2 Design
3 Flight testing
4 Specifications

Development

In 2006, HAL announced its plans to build a LCH. Funds for the design and development of the LCH to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force were sanctioned in October 2006.The Government has accorded sanction in Oct 2006 for the design and development of Light Combat Helicopter to meet the need of combat helicopter of Indian Air Force (IAF). HAL has undertaken the design and development program of the Project. The Initial Operational Clearance for service deployment by IAF is planned by November 2010. The Ministry of Defence had sanctioned $24 million in October 2006 for HAL to make 2 LCH prototypes by 2008. HAL then announced plans at Aero India 2007 to make a Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) derivative of the Advanced Light helicopter (ALH) to enter service by 2012.

The LCH is a derivative of the HAL Dhruv, which was inducted into the Indian armed forces. Using a successful and proven helicopter as the base platform is expected to conserve the project costs for the LCH, which is pegged at INR 3.76 Billion (US$78.8M).

The LCH was expected to be ready for the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by December 2010 with the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) in 2011. However, the revised timeframes hold that the 5.5-tonne LCH should be ready for induction into IAF by 2012-2013.

The first prototype of LCH completed its first ground run on February 4. HAL has a firm order to deliver 65 LCH to the IAF and 114 to the Army.

HAL has performed the maiden flight of its indigenously designed and developed LCH. The first Technology Demonstrator (TD-1) of the LCH flew the 20 minute flight from HAL's Helicopter Complex, Bangalore on 29th March 2010. This flight provided an opportunity to carry out low speed, low altitude checks on the systems on-board. The crew reported that the performance of the helicopter and systems was satisfactory.

Design

Light Combat Helicopter.

The LCH incorporates stealth features and crash worthy landing gear for survivability. The LCH has a narrow fuselage, with two crew stations.

The LCH is being designed to fit into an anti-infantry and anti-armour role and will be able to operate at high altitudes (16,300 feet). HAL hopes to equip the Indian Air Force with about 65 gunships. The helicopter is powered by the HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engine. The helicopter will be equipped with helmet-mounted targeting systems, electronic warfare systems and advanced weapons systems.

In 2006, HAL selected the M621 cannon incorporated in a Nexter THL 20 turret for the gun armament of the helicopter, operated by a helmet mounted sight.Three prototypes will be built. The second version will be fitted with weaponry before its test flight. The Indian Air Force will be provided with the third prototype for user trials.

The LCH will have a glass cockpit with multifunction displays, a target acquisition and designation system with FLIR, Laser rangefinder and laser designator. Weapons will be aimed with a helmet mounted sight and there will be an electronic warfare suite with radar warning receiver, laser warning receiver and a missile approach warning system.

Light Combat Helicopter.

The helicopter would be fitted with a data link for network-centric operations facilitating the transfer of mission data to the other airborne platforms and ground stations operating in the network,facilitating force multiplication.

With these features, the LCH is expected to play a major role in air defence against slow moving aerial targets, destruction of enemy air defence operations, escort to special heliborne operations, support of combat search and rescue operations, anti-tank role and scout duties.

Though the LCH is derived from the Dhruv, the IAF has specified a top speed 25 km/h higher. The two pilots in the LCH sit one behind the other, compared to side-by-side in the Dhruv. All the flight controls, the hydraulics and the fuel system had to be redesigned for the LCH. The LCH’s many stealth features also necessitated redesigning the fuselage.

In September 2009, the chief of HAL’s Helicopter Complex, R Srinivasan saidthat the LCH’s weight would be progressively reduced over the first three Technology Demonstrators (TDs) of the LCH. “We will find ways of cutting down TD-1 by 180-200 kg; TD-2, will be another 100 kg lighter; and TD-3 will shave off another 65-75 kg. That would leave the LCH about 200 kg heavier than originally planned, but the IAF has accepted that.”

HAL chief, Ashok Nayak, today confirmed to that this schedule was on track. “The weight reduction that we had targeted for TD-1, which flew, has been met. The second prototype, TD-2, which will make its first flight by September 2010, will be lighter still.”

Armament

The Light Combat Helicopter is powered by engines made by Turbomeca of France, and fitted with anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles and electronic warfare equipment, will perform anti-tank and counter insurgency roles, as well as scout duites, escort to heliborne operations and support for combat SAR operations. Armament includes a chin mounted twin barrel 20 mm cannon, rockets, air to surface and air to air missiles.

Simultaneously, the LCH’s weapons and sensors are being tested on a weaponised version of the Dhruv. These include a Nexter 20 mm turret-mounted cannon, an MBDA air-to-air missile, and an EW suite from SAAB, South Africa. India’s Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) is developing an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) for the LCH. Based on the already developed Nag ATGM, the HELINA (or HELIicopter-mounted NAg) missile can destroy tanks from a distance of seven kilometres.

Avionics

Flight testing

The LCH TD-1 made its first flight on March 29, 2010. The second flight took place on April 28, 2010 at 15:30 hrs. As per HAL Press release, over 20 Test flights have been conducted to check various flight parameters.The third test flight of the LCH was successfully made on 23rd May 2010 and it fulfilled the desired parameters and also paves the way for further testing with weapons. The weapon systems of the LCH have been tested and validated on HAL Dhruv WSI helicopters. Two more prototypes are under construction to speed up the process of its induction into the Indian Air Force in the year 2014.

Specifications

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 15.8 m (51ft 8in)
Rotor diameter: 13.3 m (43 ft 6 in)
Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 4 in)
Disc area: 138.9 m² (1472 ft²)
Empty weight: 2550 kg (5621 lb)
Loaded weight: 4000 kg (8818 lb)
Useful load: 2950 kg (6503 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,700 kg (12125 lb)
Powerplant: 2× HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft, 871 kW (1200 hp) each

Performance

Never exceed speed: 330 km/h (178 knots, 207 mph)
Maximum speed: 275 km/h (148 knots, 171 mph)
Cruise speed: 260 km/h (140 knots, 161 mph)
Range: 700km (297 nm, 342 mi)
Service ceiling: 6500 m (21,300 ft)
Rate of climb: 12 m/s (2362 ft/min)
Disc loading: 39.59 kg/m² (8.23 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 327 W/kg (0.198 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns: M621 20 mm cannon on Nexter THL-20 turret
Rockets: Unguided rockets
Missiles: MBDA air-to-air missiles
Air-to-surface missiles
Anti-radiation missiles
Helina ATGM(8)
Bombs: Iron bombs
cluster bomb units
grenade launcher

LCH First Flight Artist's Impression courtsey Shiv Aroor

Indian Military