Its confirmed now - Boeing has won the contract

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Boeing wins IAF heavy-lift chopper deal

American defence major Boeing has won the deal to supply 15 heavy-lift helicopters to the Indian Air Force defeating its rival Russian Mi-26 in the tender expected to be worth around $1 billion.

The Chinook CH47D has emerged as the lowest bidder in the tender and would be offered the deal to supply 15 of these helicopters to the IAF, Defence Ministry officials said here.

The ministry will now hold commercial negotiations with the United States firm to determine the price and finalise the procurement.

According to Indian defence procurement procedures, the firm emerging as the lowest bidder in the contract and fulfilling all the requirements of the tender is awarded the contract.

The IAF will use these helicopters to supply heavy-duty equipment in the higher reaches in the northern and northeastern states and will replace the existing fleet of Mi-26 choppers acquired by it in the Soviet era.

In this contract, the IAF determined the lowest bidder by taking into account the cost of operating the chopper through out its life span of 30 years and not merely the per unit cost of the participating machines, they said.

In the last four weeks, this is the second major helicopter deal awarded by the IAF to Boeing which has bagged most of the defence deals awarded by India [ Images ] to the American defence firms.

It has so far bagged the deals to supply 10 C-17 heavy-lift aircraft worth $4.1 billion, 12 P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft for USD 3.1 billion, 22 Apache attack helicopters for $1.4 billion along with successful sales of Harpoon and other missiles to the Navy and the IAF.

Source > Boeing wins IAF heavy-lift chopper deal - Rediff.com India News

 

[IndoUS]

SO when will be the first delivery?

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

SO when will be the first delivery?

Very soon based on past US delivery record ... read Poseidon and C130J

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Soon these will be scenes from India ... I mean chinooks and apaches operating together

 

[illusion8]

SO when will be the first delivery?

We need to first sign the contract.
After the tender finalization, we haven't yet ordered the Apache's yet, this will take it's own sweet time - if one follows India's bureaucratic speed.

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Expect a US presidential visit to India soon ... there are too many contracts to be signed.

 

[foxbat]

Buying Cheap Chinese Bricks for Vikramaditya turned out a little expensive for the Russian Arms manufacturers

 

[illusion8]

I estimate a minimum of 2 years before we sight the first Apache or chinook in Indian colors.

 

[Lipizzaner_Stallion]

Buying Cheap Chinese Bricks for Vikramaditya turned out a little expensive for the Russian Arms manufacturers

But personally i think its nothing to do with Vikramaditya .... US have always been leader in many defense techs. And as they have opened the door recently to us ... we are buying a lot from them .

 

[jaiind]

India is getting the world class stuff.India would not do any war against its neighbors until they tried to provoke war against us. why can't we use apaches against naxlas in the jungle.this would be the best option to hunt these rats during dark nights.

see this video folks

 

[Abingdonboy]

If the deal is signed this fiscal- which is likely, then we can expect delivery in ~2014 same with Apaches.


Another great part to all head deals from US is the support packages they provide- everything from John deer ground support vehicles and pressure washers to latest gen NVGs and full-mission Simulators. Russia has upped it's game in this arena but the US remains in a class of one in this regard.



+ also I wonder what the DAC decided wrt the LUH procurement- I really hope it was I favour of moving foreword, the we'd see 4 major helo deals signed this fiscal and not one of them going to Russia!!

 

[sancho]

also I wonder what the DAC decided wrt the LUH procurement- I really hope it was I favour of moving foreword, the we'd see 4 major helo deals signed this fiscal and not one of them going to Russia!!

Neither this, not the Apache deal are really major helicopter deals, the numbers are too low, just like their importance. The LUH deal for IA/IAF, or the naval medium class helicopter deals are much bigger.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Neither this, not the Apache deal are really major helicopter deals, the numbers are too low, just like their importance. The LUH deal for IA/IAF, or the naval medium class helicopter deals are much bigger.

True-major in terms of India and the capabiltiy they will bring. Also these 2 deals (Chinook and Apache) maybe small intially but this could be the start of much larger order for such assets in the future. We have seen that once a platform inducted into service and proved itself the follow-on orders come thick and fast and don't face the same level of intrusive scrutiny as intial orders.

 

[Audio]

Any explanation as to why the US gear is cheaper then the Russians? Sounds almost impossible.

 

[sancho]

True-major in terms of India and the capabiltiy they will bring. Also these 2 deals (Chinook and Apache) maybe small intially but this could be the start of much larger order for such assets in the future. We have seen that once a platform inducted into service and proved itself the follow-on orders come thick and fast and don't face the same level of intrusive scrutiny as intial orders.

But only when there is no alternative is available, or when there is an additional operational need for it. We need more MPAs, that's why additional P8s were logical, IAF wanted to raise a 2nd squad of C130J, to cover the east, down to the A&N Islands.
The combat helicopter deal on the other side, is just a replacement of 2 x squads of Mi 35s, while the forces are adding Rudhra and LCH helicopters soon as well, which leaves no need for high numbers of additional Apaches. Similarly, the heavy lift competition is just replacing a low number of heavy lift helicopters, that will be used very rarely and in very limited roles only. Our tactical helicopter and workhorse of the forces is the Mi 17, again very low chances for more of them.

Any explanation as to why the US gear is cheaper then the Russians? Sounds almost impossible.

That's what I questions at the currently available reports as well, although the Chinook should be cheaper during the life cycle, the unit cost normally should be higher, but the reports are hinting something else. Lets wait and see for a real offical announcement.