India orders 156 Prachand attack helicopters to strengthen the Armed Forces’ capabilities for high-altitude operations
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On March 28, 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD), under the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” initiative, signed two contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the supply of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), also known as Prachand, along with training and associated equipment. The contracts have a total value of ₹62,700 crore (approximately $7.36 billion), excluding taxes. Of the total helicopters, 66 are intended for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 90 for the Indian Army. The deliveries are scheduled to begin from the third year following contract signing and will be completed within five years, with approximately 30 helicopters delivered per year. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Prachand light attack helicopter was developed following operational lessons identified during the Kargil War of 1999, when the Indian Armed Forces used Mi-17 utility helicopters adapted for combat roles due to the lack of a dedicated high-altitude attack helicopter. (Picture source: Twitter/Indian Air Force)
The light attack helicopters will be produced at HAL’s manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru and Tumakuru, Karnataka. The contracts specify that the indigenous content of the helicopters will exceed 65%. More than 250 Indian companies, mostly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), will participate in the manufacturing, generating around 8,500 direct and indirect jobs. Approximately ₹25,000 crore (approximately $2.93 billion), representing 40% of the contract value, will be subcontracted to private sector companies. In addition, the Ministry of Defence signed a separate contract with Metrea Management for the wet leasing of one Flight Refuelling Aircraft (FRA), a KC-135 aircraft, to provide air-to-air refuelling training for pilots of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
The KC-135 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered within six months and will represent the first time the Indian Air Force uses a wet-leased FRA. With these contracts, the Ministry of Defence has signed a total of 193 contracts during the 2024–2025 fiscal year, with a combined value exceeding ₹2,09,050 crore (approximately $24.52 billion). This represents the highest annual total to date and is nearly double the previous highest value. Of these 193 contracts, 177 contracts, corresponding to 92%, were awarded to domestic industry, with a total value of ₹1,68,922 crore (approximately $19.81 billion), or 81% of the overall amount.
The HAL Prachand, a light attack helicopter, was developed following operational lessons identified during the Kargil War of 1999, when the Indian Armed Forces used Mi-17 utility helicopters adapted for combat roles due to the lack of a dedicated high-altitude attack helicopter. The Kargil Review Committee explicitly highlighted this capability gap, recommending the development of an indigenous solution capable of operating effectively in high-altitude environments. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited initiated development efforts in 2006 by adapting the existing HAL Dhruv platform to reduce development costs. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight on March 29, 2010. The aircraft subsequently completed extensive testing, including high-altitude trials with landings at altitudes between 13,600 and 15,800 feet. Certification of the basic configuration was obtained in October 2015, and the initial operational clearance was granted in 2017.
The Prachand helicopter features a tandem two-seat configuration, a narrow fuselage, a tricycle crashworthy landing gear, and a stealth-profiled structure including infrared signature reduction systems. (Picture source: Facebook/Aatish Pillai Aviation Photography)
The Prachand helicopter is powered by two HAL/Turbomeca Shakti-1H1 turboshaft engines, each rated at 1,032 kW. The helicopter is capable of a maximum speed of 280 km/h, an operational range of 700 km when carrying weapons, an endurance of 3 hours and 10 minutes, and an operational ceiling of 6,500 meters. Its payload capacity for weapons is 1,750 kilograms.
The helicopter’s armament includes a Nexter THL-20 turret-mounted 20mm M621 cannon, underwing hardpoints that can carry 70mm FZ275 rockets, Mistral air-to-air missiles, and Helina (Helicopter-launched Nag) anti-tank guided missiles. It is also equipped with electronic warfare systems provided by Saab, including radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers, and missile approach warning systems. The glass cockpit integrates an avionics and display system with multiple multifunction displays and a helmet-mounted sight for weapon targeting. The helicopter also features a datalink system to enable network-centric operations.
The importance of the Prachand helicopter was further underlined during the 2020–2022 China–India skirmishes, when the Indian Air Force deployed two LCH prototypes to Ladakh to conduct armed patrols from forward air bases. These operations demonstrated the helicopter’s ability to conduct missions in extremely high-altitude conditions before its full-scale induction. To date, the HAL Prachand continues to be operated by the Indian Air Force’s No. 143 Helicopter Unit and the Indian Army’s 351 Army Aviation Squadron. Current operators include 15 helicopters delivered in the limited series production batch, with 156 additional helicopters now under contract for future delivery.
Operational deployment has continued, with the Indian Air Force inducting the Prachand into service on October 3, 2022, at Jodhpur Air Force Station, assigning it to No. 143 Helicopter Unit. The Indian Army Aviation Corps has also established the 351 Army Aviation Squadron at Missamari in Assam for operating the Prachand, with plans to field a total of seven squadrons of ten helicopters each. Deployment of the helicopters in the Ladakh sector is planned for the 2024–2025 period. The Army variants will differ from the Air Force variants, notably by using a different air-to-air missile than the Mistral 2 used by the Air Force.
Operational deployment has continued, with the Indian Air Force inducting the Prachand into service on October 3, 2022, at Jodhpur Air Force Station, assigning it to No. 143 Helicopter Unit. (Picture source: Facebook/Praneeth Franklin)
Production of the initial limited series batch of 15 helicopters (ten for the Indian Air Force and five for the Indian Army) was approved in March 2022 by the Cabinet Committee on Security, with a contract value of ₹3,887 crore (approximately $456 million) and an additional ₹377 crore (approximately $44 million) sanctioned for supporting infrastructure. HAL established additional production facilities capable of achieving a peak production capacity of 30 helicopters annually. A Request for Proposal (RFP) for 156 additional helicopters was issued by the Ministry of Defence on June 17, 2024, following the Defence Acquisition Council’s grant of Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) on November 30, 2023. The procurement decision was finalized with Cabinet Committee on Security clearance on March 28, 2025, resulting in the two contracts signed with HAL.
The Prachand programme has also included initiatives to increase domestic manufacturing content further. In September 2024, HAL assigned TimeTooth Technologies in Bengaluru the task of indigenizing the Rotor Damp System for the Prachand and the Dhruv helicopter. The project is expected to span two years of development and qualification, followed by production and supply for at least five years, with an expected order value exceeding $5 million.
Internationally, the HAL Prachand has attracted interest from multiple countries, including Argentina, Nigeria, Egypt, and the Philippines. Discussions with Nigeria have progressed, with the Nigerian Army nearing completion of negotiations to acquire four Prachand helicopters under a soft credit arrangement as of September 17, 2024. Nigerian Army pilots have previously received training at HAL’s Rotary Wing Academy on the Dhruv helicopter. Other countries have also explored potential procurement, and formal visits by Argentine officials to HAL facilities have taken place to examine the Prachand.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On March 28, 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD), under the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” initiative, signed two contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the supply of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), also known as Prachand, along with training and associated equipment. The contracts have a total value of ₹62,700 crore (approximately $7.36 billion), excluding taxes. Of the total helicopters, 66 are intended for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 90 for the Indian Army. The deliveries are scheduled to begin from the third year following contract signing and will be completed within five years, with approximately 30 helicopters delivered per year.
The Prachand light attack helicopter was developed following operational lessons identified during the Kargil War of 1999, when the Indian Armed Forces used Mi-17 utility helicopters adapted for combat roles due to the lack of a dedicated high-altitude attack helicopter. (Picture source: Twitter/Indian Air Force)
The light attack helicopters will be produced at HAL’s manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru and Tumakuru, Karnataka. The contracts specify that the indigenous content of the helicopters will exceed 65%. More than 250 Indian companies, mostly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), will participate in the manufacturing, generating around 8,500 direct and indirect jobs. Approximately ₹25,000 crore (approximately $2.93 billion), representing 40% of the contract value, will be subcontracted to private sector companies. In addition, the Ministry of Defence signed a separate contract with Metrea Management for the wet leasing of one Flight Refuelling Aircraft (FRA), a KC-135 aircraft, to provide air-to-air refuelling training for pilots of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
The KC-135 aircraft is scheduled to be delivered within six months and will represent the first time the Indian Air Force uses a wet-leased FRA. With these contracts, the Ministry of Defence has signed a total of 193 contracts during the 2024–2025 fiscal year, with a combined value exceeding ₹2,09,050 crore (approximately $24.52 billion). This represents the highest annual total to date and is nearly double the previous highest value. Of these 193 contracts, 177 contracts, corresponding to 92%, were awarded to domestic industry, with a total value of ₹1,68,922 crore (approximately $19.81 billion), or 81% of the overall amount.
The HAL Prachand, a light attack helicopter, was developed following operational lessons identified during the Kargil War of 1999, when the Indian Armed Forces used Mi-17 utility helicopters adapted for combat roles due to the lack of a dedicated high-altitude attack helicopter. The Kargil Review Committee explicitly highlighted this capability gap, recommending the development of an indigenous solution capable of operating effectively in high-altitude environments. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited initiated development efforts in 2006 by adapting the existing HAL Dhruv platform to reduce development costs. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight on March 29, 2010. The aircraft subsequently completed extensive testing, including high-altitude trials with landings at altitudes between 13,600 and 15,800 feet. Certification of the basic configuration was obtained in October 2015, and the initial operational clearance was granted in 2017.
The Prachand helicopter features a tandem two-seat configuration, a narrow fuselage, a tricycle crashworthy landing gear, and a stealth-profiled structure including infrared signature reduction systems. (Picture source: Facebook/Aatish Pillai Aviation Photography)
The Prachand helicopter is powered by two HAL/Turbomeca Shakti-1H1 turboshaft engines, each rated at 1,032 kW. The helicopter is capable of a maximum speed of 280 km/h, an operational range of 700 km when carrying weapons, an endurance of 3 hours and 10 minutes, and an operational ceiling of 6,500 meters. Its payload capacity for weapons is 1,750 kilograms.
The helicopter’s armament includes a Nexter THL-20 turret-mounted 20mm M621 cannon, underwing hardpoints that can carry 70mm FZ275 rockets, Mistral air-to-air missiles, and Helina (Helicopter-launched Nag) anti-tank guided missiles. It is also equipped with electronic warfare systems provided by Saab, including radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers, and missile approach warning systems. The glass cockpit integrates an avionics and display system with multiple multifunction displays and a helmet-mounted sight for weapon targeting. The helicopter also features a datalink system to enable network-centric operations.
The importance of the Prachand helicopter was further underlined during the 2020–2022 China–India skirmishes, when the Indian Air Force deployed two LCH prototypes to Ladakh to conduct armed patrols from forward air bases. These operations demonstrated the helicopter’s ability to conduct missions in extremely high-altitude conditions before its full-scale induction. To date, the HAL Prachand continues to be operated by the Indian Air Force’s No. 143 Helicopter Unit and the Indian Army’s 351 Army Aviation Squadron. Current operators include 15 helicopters delivered in the limited series production batch, with 156 additional helicopters now under contract for future delivery.
Operational deployment has continued, with the Indian Air Force inducting the Prachand into service on October 3, 2022, at Jodhpur Air Force Station, assigning it to No. 143 Helicopter Unit. The Indian Army Aviation Corps has also established the 351 Army Aviation Squadron at Missamari in Assam for operating the Prachand, with plans to field a total of seven squadrons of ten helicopters each. Deployment of the helicopters in the Ladakh sector is planned for the 2024–2025 period. The Army variants will differ from the Air Force variants, notably by using a different air-to-air missile than the Mistral 2 used by the Air Force.
Operational deployment has continued, with the Indian Air Force inducting the Prachand into service on October 3, 2022, at Jodhpur Air Force Station, assigning it to No. 143 Helicopter Unit. (Picture source: Facebook/Praneeth Franklin)
Production of the initial limited series batch of 15 helicopters (ten for the Indian Air Force and five for the Indian Army) was approved in March 2022 by the Cabinet Committee on Security, with a contract value of ₹3,887 crore (approximately $456 million) and an additional ₹377 crore (approximately $44 million) sanctioned for supporting infrastructure. HAL established additional production facilities capable of achieving a peak production capacity of 30 helicopters annually. A Request for Proposal (RFP) for 156 additional helicopters was issued by the Ministry of Defence on June 17, 2024, following the Defence Acquisition Council’s grant of Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) on November 30, 2023. The procurement decision was finalized with Cabinet Committee on Security clearance on March 28, 2025, resulting in the two contracts signed with HAL.
The Prachand programme has also included initiatives to increase domestic manufacturing content further. In September 2024, HAL assigned TimeTooth Technologies in Bengaluru the task of indigenizing the Rotor Damp System for the Prachand and the Dhruv helicopter. The project is expected to span two years of development and qualification, followed by production and supply for at least five years, with an expected order value exceeding $5 million.
Internationally, the HAL Prachand has attracted interest from multiple countries, including Argentina, Nigeria, Egypt, and the Philippines. Discussions with Nigeria have progressed, with the Nigerian Army nearing completion of negotiations to acquire four Prachand helicopters under a soft credit arrangement as of September 17, 2024. Nigerian Army pilots have previously received training at HAL’s Rotary Wing Academy on the Dhruv helicopter. Other countries have also explored potential procurement, and formal visits by Argentine officials to HAL facilities have taken place to examine the Prachand.
