Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inducted the indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) on October 3.
The twin-engine helicopter was formally inducted into the 143 Helicopter Unit ‘Dhanush’ at the Jodhpur Air Force Station. Mr. Singh also took a sortie in the LCH after the induction.
The twin-engine LCH, designed and developed by HAL, is a 5-8 tonne class dedicated combat helicopter. It is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5,000 m (16,400 ft) with considerable load of weapons and fuel.
The helicopter has a combat radius of 500 km and go up to a service ceiling of 21,000 feet which makes it ideal to operate at high altitude areas of the Siachen glacier.
