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The US major Bell Helicopters has decided not to take part in the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for acquisition of 22 attack helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The RFP for the helicopters was the first to be issued since the newly elect UPA government came into power.
This RFP is a fresh RFP issued in May 2009 after an earlier was withdrawn on the grounds of qualitative requirements that were not met.
Bell Helicopters decided to opt out of the race since the AH-1Z helicopter model that Bell was hoping to field for the RFP process is currently undergoing operational evaluation for the US Marine Corps.
Bell Helicopter had opted out of the previous RFP process as well since the Indian government had insisted on direct sale of the equipment from it.
The US firm could only supply the helicopters through the foreign military sales (FMS) programme of the US government since the Bell attack helicopters are being used by US Navy.
However, unlike the earlier RFP, India has agreed this acquisition through FMS route but still Bell Helicopters have backed out.
The fresh RFP issued in May this year was given to the Italian-owned Augusta Westland; American companies Bell Helicopters and Boeing; the European Eurocopter and the Russian Kamov. The 22 attack helicopters are expected to cost around $ 25 million each with the weapons.
The IAF has been wanting to buy Attack Helicopters to boost its air surveillance and fighting capabilities. The IAF is looking for an all-weather and day and night capable attack helicopter. It should be capable of operations in both the desert environment and also the mountainous terrain.
The IAF has stipulated that they want an Attack Helicopter which will have a basic empty weight of 2500 kilograms or higher and must have two engines.
Besides, the Helicopters should be highly agile and have advanced anti-armour capability and should be operational in temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius to plus 55 degrees Celsius and humidity of up to 95 per cent.
The other requirements of the Attack Helicopters include provision of Turret gun of 20 mm or higher caliber, capability to fire rockets of 70 mm or higher caliber with the rockets having at least a range of 1.2 kilometers.
The Attack Helicopter should also be able to employ Air to Ground missiles which have fire forget capability, with a range of at least seven kilometers, and possession of fire and forget air to air missiles.
The Indian Air Force is looking for Attack Helicopters so that they can survive in the modern battle field military operation and carry state of the art defensive Electronic Warfare protection suites.
The Radar Warning Receiver will provide capability of intercepting, identifying and prioritizing multiple airborne and ground based Radio Frequency emitters.
The delivery of the helicopters will be completed by 36 months from the date of signing of the contract, while the first two Attack helicopters would be supplied within 24 months of signing of the contract.
The Indian Defence Ministry has also cleared the purchase of additional helicopters worth $ 2 billion for 384 helicopters for the air force and the army. This is in addition to the RFP for the 22 Attack helicopters.
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