Indian Military Helicopter Contract
The Indian press reported on the 11th April that the country’s military is shortly to invite bids for the supply of 384 new helicopters. The news comes as the Indian Air Force remains yet to select the winner of its 126-strong combat aircraft contract.
Indian Air Force/Army Light Helicopter Programme
According to the Times of India, the Defense Acquisitions Council has given its approval to the purchase – a strand of a wider combined Indian Air Force/Indian Army “light helicopter” programme.
Selection of the new type, the paper added, would involve “field trials [and] technical and commercial negotiations”, and the whole process “will take two-three years before the final contract is inked.”
Eurocopter Deal
India offered a previous helicopter tender, which Eurocopter won. However, this deal fell through at the end of last year amid allegations of “deviations from specifications”.
Kamov, Augusta Westland, Bell, Eurocopter
According to industry sources, the helicopter contract tender is expected to see manufacturers Kamov, Augusta Westland, Bell and Eurocopter step forward.
Of the 384 helicopters sought, 259 are to serve with the Indian Army, and 125 with the Indian Air Force.
India’s Combat Capabilities
Indian Defense Secretary Vijay Singh was quoted by the Times of India as having spoken of how the helicopters would strengthen the country’s combat capabilities.
"These choppers are being inducted to enhance the operational capability of the Armed Forces in the high Himalayan frontiers", he was reported as having said.
The Indian Army’s rotary fleet currently comprises about 250 helicopters. These, in the majority, are older Cheetah and Chetak types.
695 Indian Helicopters by 2020
The intension is that, by 2020, India’s total helicopter fleet will reach a total of 695.
The Times of India wrote that, of these 695, 384 would be light combat helicopters, 22 attack, 80 medium-lift and 16 anti-submarine warfare.
The remainder, it added, would be HAL Dhruvs – locally-made multi-role helicopters.
Source – Armed Forces International’s Aviation Expert
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