Exclusive ! Another reason to scrap the 197 RSHs?

Neelam Mathews
Nov 1, 2012

To award or not to award is the question for the MoD. Even as it reaches a mental roadblock on how to move on the VVIP Augusta Westland helicopters that it has already paid 40% advance for. Strangely, the same scandal that broke in Italy, may have helped eased its decision on (perhaps) scrapping the ill-fated 197 army reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter bid. The people mentioned in the AW issue were also those involved in the trials of the RSH helios. 

“If this is proved true, MoD might have no choice to scrap the 197 bid and move ahead with the VVIP helios till the cooked up probe is over,” says an official close to the subject. There are increasing loud whispers in the defense community that there isn’t enough transparent interaction between the MoD and OEMs. “The government can’t lose this money and will need to figure out the termination provision…the point is they’ll never get the money back. So the only way out will be to keep the helios and cancel the RSH,” says an official.