India to open bids for choppers, tankers shortly

[Abingdonboy]

Bangalore: India will shortly open bids for procuring 15 heavy-lift helicopters, and six air-to-air tankers, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said on Thursday.

"We are going to shortly open the bids for the heavy-lift helicopters....", he told reporters, noting that contenders for the contract are Boeing's Chinook and Mi-26 of Russia

By next month, IAF would also be opening bids for six air-to-air tanker tender, for which Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) and the Russian Ilyushin-78 air-to-air tanker are competing, the Air Chief said.



IAF is currently negotiating for the procurement of 22 Apache helicopters from Boeing, he said.

The Air Chief Marshal said negotiations are on to acquire four additional (Israeli tethered) aerostats.

On the MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) deal for 126 fighter jets, estimated to be USD 11 billion, he said commercial negotiations are on, adding, "we hope that at least in this (current) financial year, we should be able to complete it (singing the contract with France's Rafale).

"We are discussing various areas like transfer of technology, the offset, what HAL will do and cost, of course", he said. "So, that process is very much on and is progressing very well".

The Air Chief Marshal also said IAF is exploring opportunities to acquire two trainers from French Air Force or "somewhere else in the world" to replace the two Mirage 2000 aircraft which crashed earlier this year.

Noting that the IAF has an upgradation contract with Dassault for 51 such aircraft, he said right now IAF has 49. "We are looking at the opportunities to acquire two trainers".

http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/india-to-open-bids-for-choppers-tankers-shortly_800772.html


FTW:

 

[arp2041]

This "shortly" is really taking a lot of time

 

[Abingdonboy]

This "shortly" is really taking a lot of time

Shortly means 1-3 months- not long at all!!

 

[KRAIT]

Shortly means 1-3 months- not long at all!!

Considering India, its like a day.

 

[arp2041]

Shortly means 1-3 months- not long at all!!

no i mean there was an earlier news that said the same buzz word "shortly" that to 3 months back

 

[Abingdonboy]

Considering India, its like a day.

haha-exactly. We've all waited this long we can wait just a tiny but longer I think!

no i mean there was an earlier news that said the same buzz word "shortly" that to 3 months back

Clearly a subjective term but I've always hear these deals will be signed in the closing months of 2012 so this latest news is spot on IMHO and coming from the IAF cheif's own mouth too!

 

[Gessler]

Those CH-47Fs will be deployed on the China border and can easily sling around the LW-155 howitzers
and carry lots of troops here and there effortlessly (not really), and yes, this does add much-needed
operational flexibility for combat ops and skirmishes for IA.

 

[Abingdonboy]

This is the exact sight (M777) and all we will be seeing in Indie before too long!!

 

[Gessler]

This is the exact sight (M777) and all we will be seeing in Indie before too long!!

Yes,,,LW-155 is the export version of the M-777, the one India will get.

 

[Asskicker]

Other then spare parts,i dont find anything wrong with mi-26...Then why many are opting for chinook which will come with a kill switch and strings attached....?.Is it because of it attractive look....

 

[Gessler]

Other then spare parts,i dont find anything wrong with mi-26...Then why many are opting for chinook which will come with a kill switch and strings attached....?.Is it because of it attractive look....

Mi-26...hmmm, no problem about signing the deal now and getting the chopper 10-15 years later?

 

[sancho]

Other then spare parts,i dont find anything wrong with mi-26...Then why many are opting for chinook which will come with a kill switch and strings attached....?.Is it because of it attractive look....

It's because they think it is a tactical procurement and not a heavy lift one. The same old points will be repeated again and again, although they don't make sense.
The Mi 26T2 will only defeat itself if the spare supply will remain an issue, otherwise it will be hard to beat it.

 

[Asskicker]

Mi-26...hmmm, no problem about signing the deal now and getting the chopper 10-15 years later?

So you are saying we will be getting the T-50 after 20years is it... ?

 

[sudhir007]

It's because they think it is a tactical procurement and not a heavy lift one. The same old points will be repeated again and again, although they don't make sense.
The Mi 26T2 will only defeat itself if the spare supply will remain an issue, otherwise it will be hard to beat it.

yes you are right but the problem is that Mi-26 production is not open, it mean delay and any point of time they will ask more money to compete this deal................... same with Vikramaditya or Talwar class FFG

 

[Nishan_101]

Those CH-47Fs will be deployed on the China border and can easily sling around the LW-155 howitzers
and carry lots of troops here and there effortlessly (not really), and yes, this does add much-needed
operational flexibility for combat ops and skirmishes for IA.

IAF IA needs them in good numbers. I think PAA, PAF and PN are looking to towards Z-15s as well as Mi-17V7s as their next Medium Lift Helicopters.