PM Hands Over India-Made Light Combat Helicopter, Drones To Armed Forces

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday handed over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and other indigenously manufactured defence equipment to Indian Air Force in Jhansi.

PM Modi handed over LCH to the Chief of the Air Staff VR Chaudhari in the ongoing ‘Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv’ event from Red Fort.

LCH is a new addition to HAL’s helicopter division. This twin-engine helicopter is a dedicated combat helicopter of 5 to 8-tonne class.

The LCH incorporates advanced technologies and stealth features for effective combat roles and is designed to carry out roles such as destruction of enemy air defence, counterinsurgency, search and rescue, anti-tank, Counter Surface Force Operations etc.

The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m (16,400 ft) with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.

The Prime Minister also handed over drones and UAVs designed and developed by Indian startups to the Chief of the Army Staff.

Indian Army has decided to procure these drones from Indian industry and startups after detailed testing and trials. The deployment of Indian UAVs by the Indian Armed Forces is also proof of the growing maturity of the Indian drone industry ecosystem.

The Prime Minister later handed over DRDO designed and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) manufactured Advanced EW suite for naval ships including that for Indian Aircraft Carrier Vikrant. The Advanced EW suite will be used in different naval ships including destroyers, frigates etc. and marks a big step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.