In a major transfer, the prime minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday permitted the procurement of 15 indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) at a price of Rs 3,887 crore.
The defence ministry stated 10 helicopters might be for the Indian Air Force and 5 might be for the Indian Army.
“The CCS has permitted procurement of 15 Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Limited Series Production on the price of Rs 3,887 crore together with infrastructure sanctions value Rs 377 crore,” it stated.
Light Combat Helicopter Limited Series Production (LSP) is an indigenously developed combat helicopter containing round 45 per cent indigenous content material by worth which can progressively enhance to greater than 55 per cent.
The state-run (*15*) Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) produces the helicopter.
The determination to obtain the helicopters got here within the midst of the three providers focusing extensively on enhancing their total combat capabilities in view of India dealing with myriad safety challenges together with alongside the borders with China.
The LCH is supplied with requisite agility, manoeuvrability, prolonged vary, excessive altitude efficiency and all-weather combat functionality to carry out a spread of roles together with combat search and rescue (CSAR), destruction of enemy air defence (DEAD) and counter-insurgency (CI) operations, in response to the ministry.
It stated the helicopter can be deployed in excessive altitude bunker-busting operations, counter-insurgency operations within the jungle and concrete environments and for supporting floor forces.
The helicopter can be used towards slow-moving plane and remotely piloted plane (RPAs) of adversaries.
The ministry stated it could be a potent platform to satisfy the operational necessities of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.
“State of the artwork applied sciences and programs suitable with stealth options resembling diminished visible, aural, radar and IR signatures and crashworthiness options for higher survivability have been built-in into the LCH for deployment in combat roles catering to rising wants for the subsequent three to 4 many years,” the ministry stated in a press release.
“Several key aviation applied sciences like a glass cockpit and composite airframe construction have been indigenised. The future series-production model will consist of additional fashionable and indigenous programs,” it stated.
The ministry stated India is constantly rising in its functionality to indigenously design, develop and manufacture superior leading edge applied sciences and programs within the defence sector below the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan’.
“The manufacturing of the LCH by the HAL will give an additional push to Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and increase indigenisation of defence manufacturing and the defence business within the nation,” it stated.
“The manufacturing of LCH will cut back import dependence for combat helicopters within the nation. Light Combat Helicopters are already within the import embargo listing. With its versatile options built-in for combat missions, LCH has the export functionality,” the ministry stated.
(Only the headline and film of this report could have been reworked by the Business Standard employees; the remainder of the content material is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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