HELINA and Dhruvastra Missiles: After signing a very big deal on March 28, 2025, for 156 more LCH Prachand helicopters, HAL is now prepared for the next important step. The contract is worth around Rs 7,62,700 crore. The next focus is to give the Prachand helicopter its main fighting weapon, the anti-tank guided missile.
HAL is planning to start flying tests of the HELINA and Dhruvastra missiles from the Prachand helicopter by late 2026 or early 2027. This will happen before the first helicopters from the new order join service during 2027-2028. Untill now the Prachand has mostly been tested with rockets that use heat tracking and its gun, but not with anti-tank missiles.
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Powerful missiles for Army and Air Force
Both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force will use the same missile but with different names. The Army calls it HELINA, which stands for HELIcopter NAg. The Air Force calls it Dhruvastra or Dhruva Astra. These missiles are made in India and are meant to destroy enemy tanks.
The missile system has already passed tough user trials. These tests were done in high places like Ladakh where the air is thin and the weather is very cold. The missiles were able to lock on to armored targets and destroy them in these harsh conditions. Bharat Dynamics Limited, which makes the missile, has said the system is ready to be used. It will become the main anti-tank weapon for the full fleet of 156 Prachand helicopters.
HELINA and Dhruvastra are built to hit modern battle tanks that use special armor for protection. The missile can break through around 800 mm of armor. This gives the Prachand strong attack power from a safe distance. With this missile the helicopter moves from being a light attack machine to a real tank killer that can fight in plains and mountains.
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New upgrades to make Prachand stronger
The new Prachand helicopters will also come with many upgrades. They will have a modern Electronic Warfare system to help them survive enemy attacks. There will also be a nuclear detection system so pilots can work safely in dangerous areas. An Obstacle Avoidance System will help the helicopter fly safely at low heights, especially in mountains and rough land.
The timing of missile testing is very important. By finishing missile integration before the helicopters are delivered, the Army and Air Force want a helicopter that is ready for war from day one. This avoids problems seen in older projects where weapons were added many years later.
