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NEW DLEHI: The Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) have finalised a plan to order 156 more indigenous ‘Prachand’ light combat helicopters, which are capable of offensive operations in high-altitude areas like Siachen Glacier and eastern Ladakh, from defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
“The proposal will first require acceptance of necessity from the Defence Acquisitions Council chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh. The order will be placed after commercial negotiations and the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),” an official said.
As per the joint acquisition proposal, the Army will get 90 of the new Prachand choppers, while 66 are meant for the IAF. These will add to the 25 such choppers (10 IAF and 15 Army) already inducted after CCS cleared the first Rs-3,887 crore contract in March last year, as was reported by TOI.
The 5.8-tonne Prachand, the first light combat chopper to be manufactured indigenously, is armed with 20mm turret guns, 70mm rocket systems and air-to-air missiles.
The Prachand, which has 45% indigenous content by value at present, is touted as the only attack helicopter in its weight class in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5,000-metre or 16,400-feet with a considerable load of weapons as well as fuel.
“The proposal will first require acceptance of necessity from the Defence Acquisitions Council chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh. The order will be placed after commercial negotiations and the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),” an official said.
As per the joint acquisition proposal, the Army will get 90 of the new Prachand choppers, while 66 are meant for the IAF. These will add to the 25 such choppers (10 IAF and 15 Army) already inducted after CCS cleared the first Rs-3,887 crore contract in March last year, as was reported by TOI.
The 5.8-tonne Prachand, the first light combat chopper to be manufactured indigenously, is armed with 20mm turret guns, 70mm rocket systems and air-to-air missiles.
The Prachand, which has 45% indigenous content by value at present, is touted as the only attack helicopter in its weight class in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5,000-metre or 16,400-feet with a considerable load of weapons as well as fuel.
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