- Overview: India has heavily fortified the world’s highest battlefield. The Indian Air Force has permanently stationed a full squadron of indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) ‘Prachand’ at the Siachen Glacier Base Camp.
- Key Points:
- Unmatched Altitude: The LCH Prachand is the only attack helicopter in the world capable of taking off and landing at altitudes of 16,400 feet while carrying a full load of weapons and fuel.
- Mountain Lethality: Heavily armored foreign helicopters like the Apache struggle in the extremely thin air of the Himalayas. The lightweight Prachand is custom-built to dominate this exact high-altitude environment.
- Bunker Busting: The helicopters are armed with the ‘Dhruvastra’ air-to-surface anti-tank missiles, capable of precisely destroying enemy high-altitude bunkers and armored columns hiding in narrow mountain valleys.
- Total Deterrence: This permanent deployment ensures that any hostile attempt to alter the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the frozen heights will be met with immediate, overwhelming aerial firepower.
- Q2. The strategically vital Siachen Glacier is located in which mountain range?
- Zanskar Range
- Pir Panjal Range
- Karakoram Range
- Dhauladhar Range
