The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) indigenously designed and developed by HAL achieved a unique milestone by successfully carrying out air to air missile firing on a moving aerial target. During the tests conducted in integrated test range at Chandipur, Odisha recently, Wg Cdr Subash P John, VM (Retd), test pilot, Col Ranjit Chitale, (Retd), Flight Test Engineer from HAL and Gp Capt Rajeev Dubey, test pilot from IAF executed a flawless mission and achieved a direct hit on the aerial target, destroying it completely.
R Madhavan, CMD-HAL says this is the first time in the country that a helicopter has carried out air to air missile engagement. None of the helicopters with the military services in the country has demonstrated such a capability. With this, LCH has successfully completed all weapon integration tests and is ready for operational induction, he adds.
Other weapons on LCH include a 20mm Turret gun and 70 mm Rockets, the firing trials of which have already been completed last year.
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