Lockheed Martin Eyes Naval Helicopter Contest in India

[arp2041]

Lockheed Martin may bid the Sikorsky MH-60R for
the Indian requirement for 75 multi-role helicopters.

Lockheed Martin is eyeing an Indian request for proposals (RFP) for around 75 naval multi-role helicopters (NMRH) that is expected to be released late summer. The new rotorcraft would complement the Indian navy’s existing fleet of Westland Sea King 42 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.

Lockheed would bid the MH-60R “Romeo,” the Sikorsky-built helicopter that it modifies extensively for service with the U.S. Navy. The Eurocopter NH-90 is another possible contender.

“We are very interested in the program, which will be the largest in the world,” Tom Kane, Lockheed Martin director of helicopter programs, told AIN. “We’re extremely competitive today and have established a training curriculum. We can ramp up production by 15 to 20 a year, in addition to the 24 we build every year for the U.S Navy.” Sikorsky, part of United Technologies, and Lockheed Martin, the mission-systems integrator, are under a five-year contract to deliver 139 Romeos through 2013 to the U.S. Navy, which is expected to buy 300 of the helicopters through 2018.

The Indian request for information (RFI) issued last year indicated the helicopter could be assigned to missions related to anti-surface warfare, logistics, intelligence, search and rescue, amphibious, commando operations and various other missions. The navy needs the multirole helicopters for an expansion in its area of responsibility, which includes patrolling from the Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Straits. The RFI called for helicopters with a maximum all-up weight of between nine and 12.5 tons.

Expected to serve for 30 years, the NMRH needs to have the capacity for 10-percent weight growth throughout its service life without impairing performance. The helicopters must also be able to fit in shipboard hangars with a length of 15.5 meters (50.8 feet), width of 5.5 meters (18 feet) and a height of 5.3 meters (17.4 feet).

A 30-percent offsets clause is mandatory and likely to cause heartburn as India’s offset policy continues to evolve and interpretations of these requirements remain loose. Transfer of technology of sensitive equipment remains an intellectual property-rights issue that India needs to deal with through the formation of an overall body that implements and audits the import of technology.

Lockheed Martin Eyes Naval Helicopter Contest in India | Aviation International News

 

[Abingdonboy]

This is weird- the IN has so many different ongoing procurements for helos I'm unsure which one this relates too. Also timings are throwing me as the article says RFPs will only be sent out in late summer but there is an ongoing programme (which S-70B and MH-60R are competing in) where all trails are complete and the final outcome was expected soonish and this programme has been going on for past few years. Is this new or relating to the same old programme? If so I'm very disappointed as I expected a deal soon, as it stands with RFPs only going out in Summer 2012 we will be lucky to see a descion before 2014

 

[swathi]

Love to see this helicopters in Indian Navy.

 

[arp2041]

This is weird- the IN has so many different ongoing procurements for helos I'm unsure which one this relates too. Also timings are throwing me as the article says RFPs will only be sent out in late summer but there is an ongoing programme (which S-70B and MH-60R are competing in) where all trails are complete and the final outcome was expected soonish and this programme has been going on for past few years. Is this new or relating to the same old programme? If so I'm very disappointed as I expected a deal soon, as it stands with RFPs only going out in Summer 2012 we will be lucky to see a descion before 2014

this deal is w.r.t. IN's recent desire of procuring 75 multi-role copters, it will be one of the biggest deal:

Navy looking to buy 75 helicopters for four billion dollars | NDTV.com

 

[sancho]

This is weird- the IN has so many different ongoing procurements for helos I'm unsure which one this relates too. Also timings are throwing me as the article says RFPs will only be sent out in late summer but there is an ongoing programme (which S-70B and MH-60R are competing in) where all trails are complete and the final outcome was expected soonish and this programme has been going on for past few years. Is this new or relating to the same old programme? If so I'm very disappointed as I expected a deal soon, as it stands with RFPs only going out in Summer 2012 we will be lucky to see a descion before 2014

It's the same competition, the media sometimes just mix up the facts and S70B and MH60R are not competing eachother, but one of them is offered and competes the NH90.