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NEW DELHI: The Special Protection Group, which provides proximate security to the PM, had pitched for AgustaWestland's AW-101 helicopters over the American Sikorsky's S-92 Superhawks in "an independent report" submitted after the field trials for the VVIP helicopters in January-February 2008.
The SPG, whose director and an inspector-general were part of the field evaluation trials (FET) team led by the IAF, had held the AW-101s to be superior to the S-92s in terms of better armour protection, environmental control systems and crash-worthiness, among other attributes.
"The SPG also said the AW-101s had an additional transit range (with a maximum range of 680-km), greater height clearance of the rear air-stair entrance to minimize exposure of the VVIP and their three engines had more redundancy/safety over the S-92s," a government official said on Tuesday.
The defence ministry has already said that the selection process for the 12 VVIP helicopters had "progressed in accordance with the established procurement procedure in a transparent manner with all stages being followed meticulously".
"The valid change in the specifications to increase the competition, like reducing of the service ceiling for the helicopters from 6,000-metre to 4,500-metre, was done at the behest of the then national security advisor Brajesh Mishra in 2003," the official said.
"The SPG was also fully on board. Apart from the main FET report submitted in March 2008, which held that the S-92 choppers had failed on four technical parameters, the SPG also submitted its independent report to recommend the AW-101s. The SPG was also behind the quantum of procurement being raised from the original eight to 12 helicopters on the grounds of security," he added.
SPG had opted for AW-101s over Sikirsky's Superhawks - The Times of India
The SPG, whose director and an inspector-general were part of the field evaluation trials (FET) team led by the IAF, had held the AW-101s to be superior to the S-92s in terms of better armour protection, environmental control systems and crash-worthiness, among other attributes.
"The SPG also said the AW-101s had an additional transit range (with a maximum range of 680-km), greater height clearance of the rear air-stair entrance to minimize exposure of the VVIP and their three engines had more redundancy/safety over the S-92s," a government official said on Tuesday.
The defence ministry has already said that the selection process for the 12 VVIP helicopters had "progressed in accordance with the established procurement procedure in a transparent manner with all stages being followed meticulously".
"The valid change in the specifications to increase the competition, like reducing of the service ceiling for the helicopters from 6,000-metre to 4,500-metre, was done at the behest of the then national security advisor Brajesh Mishra in 2003," the official said.
"The SPG was also fully on board. Apart from the main FET report submitted in March 2008, which held that the S-92 choppers had failed on four technical parameters, the SPG also submitted its independent report to recommend the AW-101s. The SPG was also behind the quantum of procurement being raised from the original eight to 12 helicopters on the grounds of security," he added.
SPG had opted for AW-101s over Sikirsky's Superhawks - The Times of India
