Good.With now Ka-226T almost cancelled
Not really, IA needs more Apaches over panjab, rajasthan fronts.I personally think he meant light category attack helicopter as opposed to heavy gunship like apache. Curious to see if IMRH also evolves into a heavy gunship like Rudra-LCH or not. Around 100 each of LCH and Rudra is good strength. Though army aviation should induct more.
On LCH Prachand choppers, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari says, "The requirement for having a very agile combat helicopter was felt immediately during after the Kargil and this indigenous development of the LCH or the Prachand has given a tremendous boost to our capability in are fighting in this domain of helicopter combat operations. We had procured 10 of them initially, for the Indian Air Force, the light combat helicopters, and they have proven their worth. They are indeed very agile, they are capable of carrying out multiple tasks even at high altitudes and these will definitely enhance the capability of the armed forces and the Air Force in particular...I don't think we will ever need to import attack helicopters. This huge tranche of 156 LCH should suffice to meet our own requirements of both the Army and the Air Force..."
Prachand is still not mature yet.With all these orders, Modi ji has now walked the talk about 'self-reliance' and indigenisation. Hope we get export orders of Prachand too. That'll be like icing on the cake(sone pe suhaga)
Also in the north east and ladakh sector. More Apaches need to be procured. Atleast 80-100 apaches with longbows directing 300-400 prachands.Good.
Not really, IA needs more Apaches over panjab, rajasthan fronts.
The points are valid though. We need more Apaches or equivalent HCHs to do heavy pounding against enemy armour.About more numbers, you need to consider the roles, Rudra, Rus attack heli and Apaches will share the attack duty against heavy armour, LCH will be support and mainly for high altitude duty. So our western flank is already covered. For first tranche order it is ok , will definitely get more in future with upgrades maybe. With a 500+ km combat radius it can both easily escort and strike deep inside Pak territory.
The opposite is also true, ie at the expense of a smaller fleet of Apaches , a bigger fleet of Rudra+LCH can be operated. This is solely from experience of IAF being always in disadvantage at the number game btw. Not a lot against Apaches or any other imported item.The points are valid though. We need more Apaches or equivalent HCHs to do heavy pounding against enemy armour.
Hopefully once Prachand matures, we may start our own heavy combat helicopter in future!
There is no plan to develop heavy class attack copter, or a copter based on imrh now.The opposite is also true, ie at the expense of a smaller fleet of Apaches , a bigger fleet of Rudra+LCH can be operated. This is solely from experience of IAF being always in disadvantage at the number game btw. Not a lot against Apaches or any other imported item.
Lets see what the forces go through, I expect the army aviation group to push through for the remaining numbers. After that, my preference is building up a local heavy gunship from IMRH class.
LCH armed with 20 mm cannon, globally all were using 30 mm gun on copter to take down tanks.About more numbers, you need to consider the roles, Rudra, Rus attack heli and Apaches will share the attack duty against heavy armour, LCH will be support and mainly for high altitude duty. So our western flank is already covered. For first tranche order it is ok , will definitely get more in future with upgrades maybe. With a 500+ km combat radius it can both easily escort and strike deep inside Pak territory.
IAF chief also agrees with you as he said recently that IAF won't import any attack helicopter after Prachand inductionThe opposite is also true, ie at the expense of a smaller fleet of Apaches , a bigger fleet of Rudra+LCH can be operated. This is solely from experience of IAF being always in disadvantage at the number game btw. Not a lot against Apaches or any other imported item.
Lets see what the forces go through, I expect the army aviation group to push through for the remaining numbers. After that, my preference is building up a local heavy gunship from IMRH class.
Its not applicable to IA.IAF chief also agrees with you as he said recently that IAF won't import any attack helicopter after Prachand induction
Yeah, they still may go for more Apaches even after Prachand's induction. Let's wait and watch.Its not applicable to IA.
The Chinese equivalent has 25 mm chain gunThere is no plan to develop heavy class attack copter, or a copter based on imrh now.
Also IAF always had numerical superiority ove paf, what they lack was punch & technological & quality superiority.
LCH armed with 20 mm cannon, globally all were using 30 mm gun on copter to take down tanks.
That doesn't means that the 25 mm is adequate.The Chinese equivalent has 25 mm chain gun
With now Ka-226T almost cancelled, expect huge orders for LUH in the coming years. Nothing to worry
The opposite is also true, ie at the expense of a smaller fleet of Apaches , a bigger fleet of Rudra+LCH can be operated. This is solely from experience of IAF being always in disadvantage at the number game btw. Not a lot against Apaches or any other imported item.
Lets see what the forces go through, I expect the army aviation group to push through for the remaining numbers. After that, my preference is building up a local heavy gunship from IMRH class.
You are joking about Bell Valor replacing Apaches.1 Apache squadron for each of the strike corps is necessary at the minimum (16+). The Chinese also have 1 squadron-equivalent per GA (16), but that will very likely climb to match the American one (72-96 Apaches per corps).
I guess we are planning on equipping each of our corps with 1 squadron each as well. That would mean 4 Apache and 10 LCH squadrons. So 64-72 Apaches and 160-180 LCHs. Very doable. LCH numbers have to double again, 14 squadrons more.
Don't think there's an IMRH-based attack helicopter, but a new generation design. But that's a decade later. The IA has to start operating the Apache and LCH before they make requirements for a next gen design. Stealth, high speed, long range, large payload etc. The Americans are working on one.
The Bell Valor won their Black Hawk replacement program, and my money is on it winning the attack helicopter requirement as well.
It has more range than Rafale and more payload than LCA, can carry an M777 slung underneath. So we can't just make another Apache.
You are joking about Bell Valor replacing Apaches.
Well, you may be right. Personally, I was rooting for the Raider X and now the Invictus to replace the Apache. I'm thinking the choice of Valor as a Blackhawk replacement gives us a good idea of the kind of terrain the US military expects to operate in, in the future. No more urban combat maybe.At first, I found it weird when I heard it too. But it made sense a bit later, 'cause it's similar to Rudra instead of LCH.
It's simple really, the Valor is so fast and flies so far that only the Valor can protect the Valor.
A more traditional gunship design could come via FARA, a light gunship. So that's Bell 360 Invictus, Karem AR40 and Sikorky Raider X. That's basically their more modern LCH requirement.
In any case many Apaches will be operational until the 2060s, so it's not like the capability's disappeared. It just won't be able to support Valor missions.
There's apparently a more dedicated gunship design of the Valor. While the Army have not shown interest, the Marines have. They need something wit more firepower that can keep up with the Osprey. So if this goes ahead, the full Apache-replacement requirement could get fulfilled by the Valor CS 3, not just the initial Rudra-esque one in the pics above.
Well, you may be right. Personally, I was rooting for the Raider X and now the Invictus to replace the Apache. I'm thinking the choice of Valor as a Blackhawk replacement gives us a good idea of the kind of terrain the US military expects to operate in, in the future. No more urban combat maybe.