Light combat helicopters being built for Rs 125 crore each, says HAL

HAL's high-altitude attack helicopter is one-third the cost of the Apache

In a double assertion of its proficiency in building different kinds of helicopters, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) on Monday achieved two significant landmarks: The company rolled out its 300th Dhruv advanced light helicopter (ALH) for the military; and also conducted the inaugural ground run of the first light combat helicopter (LCH) it is series-producing for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

While the Dhruv, with over 280,000 flying hours logged, is already the backbone of the IAF and the Army’s light helicopter fleet, the LCH is a crucial new induction that would play an important role in any armed confrontation between Indian