Indian Light Helicopter RFP Out

Indian Light Helicopter RFP Out

July 29, 2008: Seven months after India scrapped its bid for 197 light helicopters for the Indian army given to Eurocopter, it has once again released a request for proposal (RFP) to replace its aging Chetak and Cheetah helicopters. Aerospace Daily has learned the RFP has not changed much and has been given to the same companies as was the previous document. It is expected that the helicopters will go in to service by 2010. While the Indian army and the air force jointly require 312 helicopters, the size of the tender was reduced after government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics assured it would deliver 115 platforms over the next five-to-six years. According to the RFP, 133 will be for the army and 64 for the air force. Bid submissions are due in three months, following which the army and the air force will jointly evaluate the bid - a process likely to be completed by the end of 2009. Vendors include Eurocopter, Bell, MD Helicopters, AgustaWestland, Kamov and Kazan. The last time around, the Eurocopter AS-550 and Bell 407 made it to the final round. It is not clear if the deal will be negotiated based on Defense Procurement Procedure-2006 (DPP-2006) as the revised DPP-2008 is not yet announced. According to a government source, the DPP 2008 will be unveiled in the first week of August.