Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, will start series production of new Light Combat helicopter (LCH). That was reported by timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

HAL has started limited series production and intends to manufacture five LCH helicopters.

“LCH is ready, we are integrating its weapons, we tried rockets and it was good, we need to try missiles ATGM – anti-tank guided missile, (these) are the ones which we are integrating and we just have to demonstrate that,” chairman HAL Suvarna Raju said.

HAL carried out hot and high-altitude trials of the third prototype of the indigenously developed attack chopper with the participation of pilots from the Indian Air Force and Army.

The light combat helicopter (LCH) was designed and built by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL). It is an attack helicopter derived from the existing Dhruv helicopter.

The LCH was developed to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army, who have ordered 62 and 114 units respectively. Its maiden flight took place in Bangalore in March 2010.