Chanakya's_Chant
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Third Time Lucky? Five-way Indian Light Copter Contest Begins
India's tragicomic efforts to buy new light reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters (RSH) for the Indian Army and IAF, aborted last year for the second time in over a decade, has officially begun again. With the deadline for interest ending on March 31, five platforms will now prospectively compete for an unspecified (but known to be nearly 400) number of helicopters, all of which will have to be made in India by a winning Indian partner.
Livefist can confirm that the MoD has received more than ten responses to its request for information that expired on March 31. And yes, that's multiple bids per platform on five different helicopters, as follows in no particular order:
- Airbus AS550 C3 Fennec
- Kamov Ka-226T Sergei
- Bell 407GT
- AgustaWestland AW119
- HAL Light Utility Helicopter
- Bell Helicopter returns to the contest after sitting out the last attempt (they decided not to bid then because of the offsets requirements).
- AgustaWestland has responses in through two Indian firms for the militarised AW119 Koala.
- HAL has also expressed interest in the contest. With its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) expected to make its first flight in August, the company has decided to throw its hat in the ring for good measure.
Source:- LIVEFIST: Third Time Lucky? Five-way Indian Light Copter Contest Begins
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