Back in 2015 during the Aero India expo at Bengaluru, HAL Chief Test Pilot Retired Wg. Cdr. Unnikrishnan had told me that the RWR, LWR and MAWS sensors would most probably be installed along the twin stub-wings of the LCH. As of now, neither the IA LCHs nor the IAF PRACHANDs have an on-board self-protection suite comprising radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers, missile approach warning systems and countermeasures dispensers--all of which exist on board the IA and IAF Dhruv WSI/Rudra helicopter gunships. To make matters worse, the HELINA/Dhruvastra anti-armour guided-missile suite remains elusive as well for both the Dhruv WSI/Rudra and the LCH! Will IA HQ and IAF HQ both claim that all such suites will find their way on board the SP-series LCHs? We shall see. In addition, both the IA HQ and IAF HQ should be asked if any other army or air force in the world is flying attack helicopters that are devoid of self-protection suites. If not, then what pleasures do the two armed services HQs derive from being the global exception to the norm. Or will both LCH variants cruise only within friendly airspace during wartime? This is highly embarrassing, to say the very least.
