News Report: India Floats Biggest Tender for Procurement of 234 Naval Helicopters

In a procurement that could be one of the biggest additions to India’s naval warfare capabilities in recent times, the Indian Navy intends to purchase at least 123 naval multi role helicopters (NMRH) with anti-submarine capabilities and light utility twin engine helicopters for offshore and shore based operations.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Hard pressed by operational inadequacies, the Indian Navy has made public its intentions to procure at least 234 aerial vehicles to serve in warships. A request for information (RFI) has been sought from six global manufacturers for an estimated deal of over $5 billion.

The Indian Navy has said 123 naval multi-role helicopters should have anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The requirement has been outlined keeping in mind the growing presence of foreign submarines in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy has also floated tentative requirements for light utility twin engine helicopters weighing about 4.5 tons to be used in both shore-based and offshore operations.

The procurement would be executed under the newly approved strategic partnership (SP) model that seeks to identify an Indian private firm as a strategic partner who would tie up with a shortlisted foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) to manufacture military platforms. The main criteria for the selection of OEMs would be the compatibility of their products with the Services Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs), and their commitment to provide technology and other assistance to enable their Indian partners to produce in India with maximum localization.

News Story: Indian Navy launches hunt to acquire 110 helicopters in $5B deal

Kamov Ka-226T (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has begun its process of acquiring 110 light utility helicopters after rejecting Russia's Kamov Ka-226T, which are being built for the Air Force and Army, according to a Ministry of Defence official. 

"The Kamov 226T does not have blade folding and cannot be fitted inside a ship's hangar. Moreover, it is not suitable to carry the torpedoes, which is the mandatory requirement," said an Indian Navy official. 

The light utility helicopters, or LUH, will be procured under the strategic partnership policy India's government approved last month, under which a private-sector defence company will be selected as a strategic partner, which, in turn, will tie up with an overseas original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, shortlisted by the MoD. 

In the next two months, an expression of interest will be given to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. The domestic companies will partner with overseas OEMs to compete for the contract worth $5 billion. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India, Russia Set Up Joint Venture to Make Kamov Multi-Role Helicopters for IAF

India and Russia have incorporated a joint venture company, named India-Russia Helicopters Limited, to manufacture and assemble the much-needed 160 multi-role helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs incorporated the India-Russia Helicopters Limited Company on Tuesday.

"This marks the formal creation of the Joint Venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited of India and Russian Helicopters and Rosoboronexport of Russia and is a key milestone in the production of Ka-226T helicopters in India with Russian collaboration," a press release from the Indian embassy in Russia said.

Russia's Rostec Corp will own 49.5 percent stake while India's HAL will own the remaining 50.5 percent in the joint venture. Under the deal for 200 Kamov Ka-226Ts, 60 helicopters will be received in fly-away condition from Russia while another 40 will be assembled in India and the remaining 100 will be fully built in India.

Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley had said recently that New Delhi and Moscow have been involved in a discussion to set up another manufacturing plant in India but had not said what the product would be.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Report: Russian Helicopters to Demonstrate Mi-17 Repair Process to Indian Specialists

Indian Mi-17 Helicopter

According to the company’s press service, Russian Helicopters will familiarize Indian aviation specialists with the Mil Mi-17-1V helicopters repair techniques at Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian Helicopters will familiarize Indian aviation specialists with the Mil Mi-17-1V helicopters repair techniques at Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant (NARP), the company’s press service said in a statement Thursday.

"The delegation of Indian aviation specialists came to Novosibirsk Aircraft Repair Plant, part of Russian Helicopters, in the end of February 2017. The aim of their visit is the inspection of repair process of Mil Mi-17-1V helicopters, which is carried out on NARP," the statement said.

News Story: India, Russia close in on chopper deal - report

Kamov Ka-226T - NATO name: Hoodlum (Image: Wiki Commons)

Russia is close to finalising a deal to build helicopters in India, an executive said Tuesday, a move that would boost Narendra Modi's ambitions to manufacture defence hardware locally.

India is the world's top defence importer and is seeking to revamp its Soviet-era military equipment against an increasingly assertive China.

Prime Minister Modi has been encouraging foreign firms to work with local contractors under a "Make in India" campaign, to reduce India's reliance on costly imports.

Russia and India first flagged plans for a joint partnership to build Kamov helicopters -- a twin-engine chopper used for military and civilian purposes -- in 2015.

But India has increasingly turned to the United States and France, rather than traditional ally Russia, for its military hardware in recent years.

Two Russian firms -- Russian Helicopters and state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport -- are on the brink of finalising a joint venture with India's state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, according to reports.

Viktor Kladov from Rostec, the parent company of Rosoboronexport, said the joint venture would be completed in "one to two months".

Read the full story at SpaceDaily