Indian Navy Invites Bids for Light Utility Helicopters

[soumya1989]

The Indian Navy has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for 56 light utility helicopters (LUH) to eight OEMs, including government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). Submissions are due by January 7 next year, with the winner expected to enter service in 2016.

The navy wants to replace its fleet of HAL Chetak helicopters, a license-built version of the Alouette III. Of the 85 Chetaks that the navy received up to 2002, approximately 60 remain in service. In addition, the coast guard operates 17.

Submission periods are usually around three months, and the additional three months provided under this RFP are intended to give HAL time to prepare its concept and submit performance parameters that can qualify it as a bidder, an official told AIN. HAL will probably adapt its own LUH design for the naval role.

The bid requires a four-seat twin-engine helicopter (for two pilots and one assistant/winch operator) with foldable rotor blades and a max takeoff weight that does not exceed 4.5 metric tons (9,921 pounds). The RFP requires a range of 200 nm with the maximum payload of 1,102 pounds; offensive capability for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) should include a light torpedo or depth charge and a mount for 12.7-mm machine guns or two rocket launchers on either side, to be supplied by the lead integrator.

Some missions to be undertaken by the new LUH fleet would include search-and-rescue; casualty evacuation; sling loads; limited observation and surveillance; and anti-terrorism/anti-piracy missions with small arms. The bid states that the helicopter should be able to operate in adverse weather by day and night from small decks, as well as the larger decks of aircraft carriers.

Contenders include AgustaWestland, Bell, Eurocopter, Kamov, Kazan, MDHelicopters and Sikorsky, as well as HAL.

Indian Navy Invites Bids for Light Utility Helicopters | idrw.org

 

[omkar]

Shame on DRDO+HAL even Indian Navy which prefers indigenous hardwares has to issue RFP for foreign maal due to their inability to develop foldable rotar blades.

 

[T90TankGuy]

I have a feeling they will get their hellos much before the army , the navy is far better organised in its procurement process.

 

[Foo_Fighter]

That's NOT true. With reference to Aircraft Carrier and Submarine delays that statesmen does not stand true.

Bureaucracy rocks india on a roll.

I have a feeling they will get their hellos much before the army , the navy is far better organised in its procurement process.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Shame on DRDO+HAL even Indian Navy which prefers indigenous hardwares has to issue RFP for foreign maal due to their inability to develop foldable rotar blades.

Due to composit construction of dhruv's rotors foldable construction is not possible.

 

[Neptune]

As the second largest operator of it in the world. Look at this beauty! Look, you can even turn it into a desk to make plans as you see at the pic ! All the best for India

 

[T90TankGuy]

That's NOT true. With reference to Aircraft Carrier and Submarine delays that statesmen does not stand true.

Bureaucracy rocks india on a roll.

that had nothing to do with the navy ensuring the proposing and getting the deal signed. the navy is not responsible for the delays by a third party , the shipyards.

 

[sasi]

Dhruv is 5.5tn heli!
Navy wants 4.5tn heli with twin engined!
Hal luh is single-engine 3tn heli!
Just for 56 heli,HAL develop to 4.5tn heli? If it relax the nsqur to 5.5tn, then only dhruv will fit the bill.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Due to composit construction of dhruv's rotors foldable construction is not possible.

I don't think this is quite true- it is the hinges/folding mechanism that has a part in the folding. With the ALH it was not the fact the blades couldn't be folded that was the issue- they could be, by hand. But they couldn't be folded electrically as on the Sea Kings. For some reason HAL never addressed this issue which baffles me to this day.


Wrt the N-LUH, I seriously doubt HAL will get this contract- the IN wants this LUH soon is 3-4 years and considering the standard version of the HAL LUH hasn't even flown to date- let alone its naval variant, I can't see HAL being able to deliver this bird to the IN anywhere close to the envisaged timeline. Additionally it wouldn't be a simple job to convert the land based single-engined LUH into a fully certified navalised N-LUH.


I really don't know what HAL are thinking by taking part in this particular deal and going against fully developed/certified naval platforms that can be bought off the shelf.


Maybe this is the IN/MoD just placating those guys.


Will be interesting to watch though- AFAIK this is the first open tender a HAL product is taking part in India.



Fingers crossed for the BELL 429!

 

[Jango]

Fingers crossed for the BELL 429!

Bell 429 for ASW role?

I don't think you can fit a small torpedo and 12.7 guns on a Bell 429.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Dhruv is 5.5tn heli!
Navy wants 4.5tn heli with twin engined!
Hal luh is single-engine 3tn heli!
Just for 56 heli,HAL develop to 4.5tn heli? If it relax the nsqur to 5.5tn, then only dhruv will fit the bill.

But that's not what they want! The Indian forces shouldn't be forced to adjust their requirements to what Indian industries have produced to date- they set the requirements, Indian industery meets it- that is how it should be and is around the world.

The IN isn't after a medium-lift helo like the ALH but a N-LUH to replace the Chetak.

Bell 429 for ASW role?

I don't think you can fit a small torpedo and 12.7 guns on a Bell 429.

The IN's requirement for this N-LUH is very limited ASW capabiltiy is launching a light torpedo and the like- the N-LUH is not going to be the IN's primary ASW platform. This role will be filled almost exclusively by the Sea King replacement that will almost certainly be the S-70B.

 

[Manindra]

I don't think this is quite true- it is the hinges/folding mechanism that has a part in the folding. With the ALH it was not the fact the blades couldn't be folded that was the issue- they could be, by hand. But they couldn't be folded electrically as on the Sea Kings. For some reason HAL never addressed this issue which baffles me to this day.


Wrt the N-LUH, I seriously doubt HAL will get this contract- the IN wants this LUH soon is 3-4 years and considering the standard version of the HAL LUH hasn't even flown to date- let alone its naval variant, I can't see HAL being able to deliver this bird to the IN anywhere close to the envisaged timeline. Additionally it wouldn't be a simple job to convert the land based single-engined LUH into a fully certified navalised N-LUH.


I really don't know what HAL are thinking by taking part in this particular deal and going against fully developed/certified naval platforms that can be bought off the shelf.


Maybe this is the IN/MoD just placating those guys.


Will be interesting to watch though- AFAIK this is the first open tender a HAL product is taking part in India.



Fingers crossed for the BELL 429!

But I don't think chetak has hydraulic operated folding wings.

 

[sancho]

Shame on DRDO+HAL even Indian Navy which prefers indigenous hardwares has to issue RFP for foreign maal due to their inability to develop foldable rotar blades.

Shame on IN, that don't allowed to modify the naval Dhruv and now searches for helicopters in the same class as the Dhruv, which is a ridiculous decision, just that they now want so many medium class helicopters, without considering an indigenously developed one. So much for INs support on indigenous industry!

that had nothing to do with the navy ensuring the proposing and getting the deal signed. the navy is not responsible for the delays by a third party , the shipyards.

That's not correct, IN had it's part of the delays too!

- they evaluated the Gorshkov and how much work would be required to refurbish it and their estimate went completely wrong!!!
- they evaluated and took the Scorpene sub, although it didn't offered AIP propulsion, was costlier than other competitiors and needed more time to build in India
- they evaluated the development time for Barak 8 and now the construction of our latest vessels are delayed, because the SAM needs more time than expected
- they wasted time with competitions for amphibious vessels and capabilities, instead of focusing on submarines

 

[Jango]

The IN's requirement for this N-LUH is very limited ASW capabiltiy is launching a light torpedo and the like- the N-LUH is not going to be the IN's primary ASW platform. This role will be filled almost exclusively by the Sea King replacement that will almost certainly be the S-70B.

Does any country use Bell 429 or similar helicopter with 12.7 guns and in a limited ASW role?

PAA tried to fit a machine gun on a Bell 206 Jet Ranger (similar to Bell 429), but that didn't go quite well. There were alot of vibrations and stability issues. I don't think the 429 is alot different from the Jet Ranger.

 

[sancho]

The IN isn't after a medium-lift helo like the ALH but a N-LUH to replace the Chetak.

That's not correct, they even backed out of the joint LUH competition, because the once IA and IAF are interested in, are too small and light. IN is looking for Dhruv class LUHs, with twin engines and that is the real scam about it! Instead of choosing Indias most successful developments in a new modification, they simply rejected it. HAL would be smart to forget about useless projects like HTT 40 and search for a foreign partner instead that can do the necessary modifications on the Dhruv to offer it in the same competition. IN will have great difficulties to reject it, if that Dhruv version would meet the requirements, which it actually can.