Will Be In B’lore This Weekend For LCH Inaugural Flight


Will be in Bangalore on May 22-23 for the formal inaugural flight of India’s Light Combat Helicopter. Will be interviewing the designers, developers and pilots. Do post your questions here, and I’ll see if I can get at least some of them answered. And, of course, stay tuned for lots of photos, videos and more.

30 thoughts on “Will Be In B’lore This Weekend For LCH Inaugural Flight”

  1. Nice…waiting for the pics. get us lots2 of pics…..close snaps…if possible video also :))…

    thanks muuhhaaaaaa 😛

  2. till when is it going to be inducted??
    what abt the fro for the 22 attack choppers??
    everything here gets stuck at the cost of bureaucracy….!

  3. U r really lucky man!!!!
    i wish i could come with u. 🙁
    please do bring us with lots of info and nice pics of the sexy baby.

  4. Q1-What imported technologies will they be using

    Q2-How long will it take to develop a "heavy attack heli", and are there plans to begin development soon (next 2-3 years or so)?

    Q4-How good does this one compare with handling with regard to the foregn attack heli (the pilot would know if he has flown some of them)

    Q5-Complete cost of development with production of prototypes (initially estimate)?

    Thanx
    (someone who follows ur blogs and wants in on the defence R&D, mfg.sector!!)

  5. Hi shiv

    Please get the perspective of the designers on how the machine would fit the bill for IAF and how does it compare with other contemporary and modern/future designs being developed?

    Oh yes! also let us know the estimated cost per unit.

  6. Please try to find out the specs. We don't know much about them. Especially what weapon load outs are possible on it. Also if a masthead radar is planned if any radar guided atgm's are planned.

  7. ask them whether they are going to buy it or not 😀
    or else after so much time and money spent on development and research IA might decide not to order and go for foreign choppers. like they did with the Arjun tank.

  8. Hi Shiv,

    1. Please upload lot of pictures of this bird, including close-up & Interiors.

    2. Please do ask about the plans for reduction of the weight of this machine?

    3. When will this be actually inducted & IAF and in what numbers?

    4. Are the developing more powerful "Shakti Engine" for future?

    5. How it compaered to Best "Attack Helicopeters" around the world like Apache's, & others?

  9. My questions:

    1. How much does the actual weight deviate from design weight?

    2. What are the armaments that can be carried? How many nag missiles? How many rockets, how many rounds for the gun?

    3. What are the self-protection suites that will be installed on the machine?

    4. Who supplied the armour plates for the LCH?

    5. How many prototypes will be built? When will they be built and used for testing?

    6. What are the avionics suites being installed? Where is it sourced from?

    7. Is the gearbox same as ALH or has it been modified for Shakti engine to optimize the output?

    8. Given that HAL is now handling multiple projects like AJT/LCA/ALH/LCA etc, do they have systems in process to ensure that all of them progresses simultaneously? During Sitara development, ADA was pissed that LCA was put on back burner by HAL.

    9. Please provide updates on Sitara and LCA. It has been quiet for sometime now. How is Sitara test going on? How many more prototypes will be produced? What is the state of LCA? A detailed info on how LSP-3 differs from its predecessors and how close it is to production version? Any progress on engine selection?

  10. Why our LCH carries only 2 missiles in one hardpoint,unlike Apache carries 4 in one hardpoint,causing 16 missile at one time & LCH carries total 8 at one time

  11. Shiv sir,
    I guess almost all of my questions were asked in one form or another by early posters. I do have one that may or may not be worth asking, When is the IOC expected for this bird??

    Also what is the status on the turbo prop trainer that HAL had planned to develop along with the Sitara and also is the LCA program still on schedule for the IOC in end 2010???
    Thanks,
    Yours trully.

  12. Dear Shiv,
    I have only 7 questions
    1)When will be the LCH fly in a weaponised form & How long will it take for the Armed force to Induct it.
    2)What is the status on Dhruv WSI(Weaponsied systems Integrated)
    3)When will the Naval LCA with GEF14 or EJ 200 take to Skies.
    4) Have they sorted out the weight issue with LCH.
    5) Has DRDO Abandoned the BHIM Self Propelled Artillery program.
    5)

  13. How much of the flight envelope has been tested so far?

    Are there any major issues of concern?

    Please check with the pilots on how the copter handles, how similar is the avionics/cockpit to the ALH?

  14. Here are 10 of my questions:

    1. What current or past attack helicopters did they look at to find inspiration from to develop the current design of the LCH ?

    2. How do the opto-electronics on the LCH (like Night vision, Infra-red Search and Track, helmet mounted Target tracking system, Laser designators, etc. ) compare with the equipment available on Western and Russian attack helicopters like the AH-64D, the Kamov K-50, the Euro-copter Tiger, the AH-1Zulu Viper etc ??

    3. What were the primary criteria in designing the LCH in terms of operational roles ?

    4. Is there a plan to continue developing the LCH into a Block-2 or Block 3 variants with more powerful engines and avionics ? Is there a plan to navalize the LCH to operate from Indian Navy Destroyers and Aircraft carriers ?

    5. Is there a plan to develop a dedicated millimeter-wave Fire Control Radar for the LCH like the Longbow radar on the Apache ?

    6. Does the LCH incorporate network centric capabilities like jam-proof secure communication and data link with command centers, field operators and air assets including other LCH's, AWACS etc. ?

    7. Can they tell us about the Defensive Aids Suite on the LCH ? How well prepared is it for the existing threat scenario of Stinger missiles, SAMs, AAA, small-arms fire etc ?

    8. Are there plans to integrate more fire-and-forget weapons on the LCH apart from the Nags ?

    10. Is the LCH also being considered for ELINT roles and SEAD roles ? Will the LCH have ECM jammers to suppress enemy radar ?

  15. i want u to suggest designers to copy exhaust system of Boeing / Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche as it minimize the infrared signature, and also tail rotor of it.or they can use twin tail rotor as used in longbow apache…mount the radar above the rotor …as copying is not a bad thing if ti is saving our pilots life..
    and this beautiful bird.. please gather information about computer system used in LCH .. and please ask them to name it after some gr8 warriors of our history like after maha rana pratap ,tipu sultan,shivaji ,

  16. This is a poor mans machine, its as good if not worse than the cobra AH-1 (from 1960's). Its quite ugly, overweight and full of imported components. Lets hope its not used for displays. hahaha.

  17. ^^^ singh sahab from pakistan??!!! The cell you use,the TV you use , the camera you use , the PC you use , all are having imported components!!! LCH is no exception!!! Like your above stuff ,it has no chinki components!!!
    LCH is an indigenously developed helo by Indian Aeronautical engineers!!! why AH-1, all the F-XX series a/c ,before F-22 & JSF
    were developed starting from sixties!!!!

  18. Can you please also check the status of HJT-36 and LCA? Has the flight envelope been opened fully and design limits validated? What is the maximum Angle of Attack, speed, altitude and Gs reached for LCA and HJT-36? Same questions for LCH too.

  19. Chada raised a good question…..would it not be better to get licence production for the cobra's along with the production line, like we did for the Jags? They are battle proven, reliable and lethal.

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