India’s new Prachand combat helicopter would be “a walkover” for China’s Z-10 attack helicopter, a Chinese military magazine has claimed of the aircraft New Delhi may turn to for high-altitude operations against its neighbours.
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The Indian defence ministry in March approved an order for 156 of the helicopters in a contract worth more than US$7.3 billion with an eye to operations at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) and above, including in the unresolved Himalayan border with China and the Kashmir region dispute with Pakistan.
In the latest skirmish in Kashmir last week, India’s French-made Rafale fighters were reportedly shot down by Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10C jets.
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Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets
Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets
The LCH Prachand, meanwhile, is India’s first attack helicopter domestically designed and manufactured by the state-owned manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). It is designed for air-to-ground attack roles, including anti-tank, anti-infantry and close air support.
Its first flight was in 2010 and the first batch – 10 for the Indian air force and five for the army – was introduced in 2022. The new order is expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2033.
The two-seater lightweight attack helicopter is powered by two turboshaft engines co-developed with the French aerospace company Safran. It features a glass cockpit and low-observable design from lightweight composite materials to endure the monsoon season and achieve a higher service ceiling. Its modern avionics include digital, infrared and laser sensors suite, night vision and an automatic flight control system.
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The Prachand is equipped with a French M621 20mm cannon and four hardpoints for current and future missiles, including anti-tank, air-to-air and anti-radiation, as well as unguided rockets and bombs, integrated into a helmet-mounted sight control system.
However, the Chinese media has questioned how much the helicopter could shift the power balance in high-altitude theatres, claiming that China’s Z-10 – already mass deployed in Tibet and Xinjiang facing India – has “overwhelming advantages” in its protection armour, manoeuvrability and weaponry capacity, in addition to recent improvements, such as a new millimetre-wave radar.