The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., is likely to enter production from 2017-18, the government informed Parliament on Friday.
“The production plan of the LCHs has been made from 2017-18, subject to a firm order from the Indian Air Force for limited series production,” Union Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Mr. Singh clarified that the LCH was not a replacement for the ageing fleets of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters.
LCH is a 5.5-tonne, twin-engine armed helicopter designed specifically to meet the requirements of the Army and the Air Force.
The Cheetahs and the Chetaks are sub-three-tonne, single-engine unarmed utility helicopters.
