India's Prachand Helicopter Development Progresses, Forces Seek Upgrades and Expansion

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is moving forward with the domestically produced HAL Prachand attack helicopter, but has requested improvements to the platform before a major deployment, a senior IAF official confirmed.

Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit stated that 15 early production Prachand helicopters are being evaluated by the IAF and Indian Army, with some "minor issues" identified. HAL, the helicopter's manufacturer, is working to address these concerns. Additionally, the IAF and Army want further upgrades to the Prachand's combat abilities.

Despite the needed enhancements, India's armed forces are enthusiastic enough about the Prachand's performance that they have requested 156 additional helicopters from the Ministry of Defence. These helicopters are crucial for strengthening India's border defense capabilities against China, particularly in high-altitude zones.

The requested upgrades focus on expanding the Prachand's weapons options, making it more adaptable to different combat situations. The IAF and Indian Army's desire for a larger, improved Prachand fleet demonstrates their trust in the helicopter's value to India's defense, especially in border regions.

 

[bonito]

Who told you we never use combat helis . But the fact of the matter is that we are operating with Mi25 helicopters Gunships since late 80s

Mi25 is used for troop movement . It can carry 14 people. Now tell about Prachand !

 

[Rajesh]

Indian Army wants everything local made with enhancements. They never question the foreign stuff. They accept the foreign stuff or pay heavily for enhancements. That is how Indian Army operates.

All questions asked will be tied to rafale watches type of stuffs by the foreign players .😁.