Indian army to Induct First lot of AH64E Apache Attack choppers from February 2024
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The Army is preparing to receive the first batch of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in February 2024 for deployment in the desert sector, while the larger contract for 156 indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), 90 for the Army and 66 for the Indian Air Force, is expected to be approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) next week.
The DAC is set to convene next Monday, when the case for the 156 LCH will be considered, according to two separate sources.
The Army Aviation, which had previously operated utility helicopters, inducted its first dedicated attack helicopter with the LCH last November, and the first squadron, 351 Army Aviation, was relocated to Missamari, Assam in the eastern sector near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The Cabinet Committee approved the purchase of 39 AH-64 Apache assault helicopters from the United States. Following this, the IAF inducted 22 Apaches via a September 2015 agreement, after which the government decided that any future Apache procurements would go to the Army.
In accordance with this, India struck a deal in February 2020 for six additional Apaches for the Army at a cost of roughly $800 million. The COVID epidemic has caused a little delay in Apache delivery.
While the Army has been asking for 11 additional Apache helicopters, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) recently authorized a study on the amount of armoured helicopters needed, which is set to begin in late November or early December.
As a result, officials stated that the decision on more Apaches will be made once the research was completed. The Army now has 75 Rudras, which are armed versions of the Advanced Light Helicopter.
Plans for Modernization
Concerning the IAF's modernization plans and indigenous push, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari recently stated that they had inducted 10 LCH last year, in the 143 Helicopter Unit 'Dhanush,' and are looking to sign a contract for a total of 156 of them in the coming year, 66 of which would be for the IAF.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) authorized the acquisition of 15 Limited Series Production (LSP) versions of LCH at a cost of 3,887 crore in March 2020, along with infrastructure sanctions of 377 crore, ten for the IAF and five for the Army.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) twin-engine LCH is a 5-8 tonne class dedicated combat helicopter that was conceptualized during the 1999 Kargil conflict, when the necessity for a dedicated platform capable of operating at high altitudes was realized.
It is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m (16,400 ft) while carrying a heavy load of weapons and fuel, considerably enhancing the IAF and Army's firepower in high-altitude zones.
The helicopter has a combat radius of 500 kilometers and a service ceiling of 21,000 feet, making it suited for use in high-altitude parts of the Siachen glacier.