Bangalore, July 17: The Indian Navy plans to shop for 16 helicopters of the Sea King class and is ready to buy them second hand.

Deputy chief of naval staff Vice-Admiral S.V. Gopalachari said: “We are looking at 10-12-ton class copters. The ALH (indigenously-built Advanced Light Helicopter) comes under 5.5-ton class and can be used for short-haul operations with less endurance. The Sea Kings can be flown for longer distances at 3-4 hour stretch, whereas ALH has 1-2 hour flight endurance. We are willing to purchase even second hand choppers, which might have logged about 1,000-2,000 hours of flying.

“Currently, out of the 25 Sea King copters we have, 19 are deployed on air defence warships and six are placed with commandos for security and landing purposes.”

The vice-chief was here for the inauguration of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s transmission test facility for the navy’s Sea King helicopters. The test facility will undertake repair and overhaul of the Sea King transmission system (gear box) and rotables.

In the nineties, the navy had procured a fleet of 30 Sea King copters from the UK-based Westland Helicopters Ltd. But as a result of the post-Pokhran sanctions, it encountered hurdles in securing maintenance support for the fleet and had to explore an indigenous alternative.

The navy secured the documentation from WHL for transfer of technology to HAL. It has invested Rs 71 crore since 1998-99 to set up its own repair and overhaul facility after Westland failed to return the copters sent to the UK for servicing due to the sanctions.

“This project offers an opportunity for the country to become self-reliant in service and overhaul of Sea King transmission assemblies and serves as a platform for copters of foreign origin,” Vice-Admiral Gopalachari said.

During the 10-year modernisation plan, the navy will induct 10 ALH choppers, including four for anti-submarine missions. “We have informed the government that by 2009-10, the fleet modernisation and phasing out of old ships will have to be completed to maintain preparedness,” he said.

Once the cabinet committee on security approves our proposals, the navy will have a strong fleet strength, consisting of three frigates, 15 alpha destroyers, three sea-mine ships and four air defence warships,” he said.

The frigates are estimated to cost Rs 500 crore, destroyers Rs 1,100 crore and mine sweepers Rs 750 crore.

In addition, the navy also plans to build six Scorpene submarines through a joint venture with a French firm, the vice-chief said.