Prachand beats American Apache
The delayed Apache AH-64E attack helicopters are not the Indian Army’s first choice for high-altitude warfare. Instead, the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter ‘Prachand’ (Fierce) will be deployed in Ladakh along the China border in 2025.
Boeing’s Apache has been delayed for over six months. The first three helicopters are expected to be delivered by December 2024. The manufacturer has cited supply chain issues as the reason for the delay. The final delivery is likely to be made by early 2025.
The Apaches, also known as ‘tank killers,’ will be deployed in the deserts, where they are best suited for countering armor. The first Apache unit will be based at Nagtalao Army Base near Jodhpur.
The 451 Army Aviation squadron was raised at Nagtalao near Jodhpur on March 15, anticipating the arrival of the US-made helicopters. The helicopter base is fully ready to operate the Apaches. In 2020, the army ordered six Apache attack helicopters from the US for more than ₹4,100 crore.
Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritize threats. The missiles equip the gunships with heavy anti-armor capabilities. The helicopters will help India strengthen its posture against Pakistan.
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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already inducted Apache in its fleet. The IAF has deployed its Apache attack helicopters in Ladakh, which provided tactical support to the ground forces when needed. However, the helicopter’s operability on the upper reaches of the Himalayas has been questioned.
In 2024, an IAF helicopter was stranded at a high altitude for several months because it was proving difficult to bring the rotary-wing aircraft down. The IAF inducted the first batch of US-made Apache AH-64E at the Pathankot Air Force Station and the second one in Jorhat, Assam.
This is where the indigenous LCH will factor in. Prachand has a higher operational envelope as it is specifically designed for high-altitude conditions. “We have already tested the Apache helicopters in the operating conditions and have decided to deploy in the desert condition,” an Indian Army official told the EurAsian Times.
The Indian AH-64E Guardian version features a more powerful engine, better data networking, and improved composite rotor blades. Engine performance and load-carrying capacity (of helicopters or aircraft) decrease drastically at high altitudes. Flying at the limits of the aircraft requires the meticulous calculation of its ‘all-up weight.’ A few extra kilograms of cargo could have lethal consequences.
The US deployed Apaches over the mountains of Afghanistan in 2002, operating at around 12,500 feet above sea level, but the pilots were required to perform performance planning before each mission.
The LCH has demonstrated an ability to operate in these conditions. In 2015, an LCH conducted several test landings on the Siachen glacier in Ladakh at altitudes up to 15,800 feet while carrying a modest 500-kilogram (1,102-pound) load.
The Defence Acquisition Council has already approved the procurement of 156 LCH at an estimated cost of ₹45,000 crore ($5.5B), 90 for the Army and 66 for the IAF. These are in addition to the 15 limited series production LCH being procured — 10 for IAF and five for the Army — at a cost of ₹4,264 crore. In addition to the LCH, the Army operates 75 Rudra helicopters, the armed version of the advanced light helicopter.
