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A Chetak helicopter |
New Delhi, Aug. 10: The Indian Navy has invited five companies to compete for a contract for helicopters worth more than $800 million (Rs 4400 crore).
The navy wants to buy 56 twin-engine helicopters to replace its outdated fleet of Chetaks — ship-borne light utility choppers — in early 2013. Among the companies invited to participate in the competition are Eurocopter, Agusta Westland, Sikorsky, Russian Kamov and American Bell helicopters. They have been sent requests for proposals (RFPs).
The Indian Air Force and the army are also in the middle of buying 197 light utility helicopters for which the field trains have been completed. The army and the air force want single-engine helicopters for reconnaissance and search missions. Eurocopter and Kamov are in the race for the order.
The naval helicopters would be twin-engine because they would be required to operate over seas in rougher weather. The chosen copter has to be capable of operating from the deck of a ship by day and night.
The navy has demanded that the all-weather helicopters should be capable of carrying out anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role and should be equipped with torpedoes and depth charges.
In the tender, the navy has specified that the 4.5 tonne helicopters should have twin engines to allow them to operate in rough sea conditions.
The navy is also planning to use the chopper for its anti-piracy, anti-submarine and anti-terror operations.
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