COAS visits HAL, takes sortie in Prachand
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The Army Chief assessed indigenous platforms, including the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, along with the upgrade, maintenance and production ecosystems supporting Army Aviation
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COAS Gen. Upendra Dwivedi reviews indigenous aerospace capabilities at HAL, Bengaluru; undertakes maiden sortie in LCH Prachand.
Bengaluru, April 8, 2026. Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi visited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) to review indigenous aerospace capabilities and ongoing Army Aviation projects.
The Army Chief assessed indigenous platforms, including the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, along with the upgrade, maintenance and production ecosystems supporting Army Aviation.
The Army informed that General Dwivedi undertook a sortie in LCH Prachand, gaining first-hand experience of its combat capabilities and operational performance. The sortie reaffirmed the helicopter’s effectiveness in delivering decisive aerial firepower in tactical environments and underscored the Army’s continued focus on self-reliance, it said.
The visit comes amid the evolving nature of modern warfare, where drones, loitering munitions, unmanned aerial systems and counter-drone technologies are increasingly shaping the battlefield. This shift has brought renewed attention to the “air littoral” – the low-altitude airspace above key battle zones – where control is critical to influencing the tempo and outcomes of ground operations.
In this context, the LCH Prachand assumes strategic importance. Designed specifically for high-altitude warfare, the indigenously developed attack helicopter can operate in rarefied conditions above 6,000 metres. Equipped with advanced avionics, precision weapon systems and enhanced survivability features, it is well-suited for close air support, anti-armour operations and armed reconnaissance missions.
