Aerospace Diary

Neelam Mathews Nov 11, 2013 Add caption Even as the contract for the MMRT remains suspended because a Joint Secretary has yet to take the place of Arun Kumar Bal, who sadly passed away in Oct, there is some action-if you can it that- on the Agusta Westland front.  The company has been given 15 more days to answer the Final Show Cause Notice even as the 21 day deadline crosses its mark. All one can say is that it looks like a long ride to hell for the IAF. If AW did not reply to the MoD, is it an affront or just a case of memory loss? Isn't this the second show cause notice? If it holds any weight, why not start the proceedings? Alternatively, do we have a case without proof? Lets face it. There's little the govt can do. Gone are the days of the Iron Curtain. The reality is dawning fast. Play the rules of global governance, or get ready to have slush thrown in your backyard. 

Dear All, This is an update. There has been confusion in government circles on the offset guidelines policy validity. We are now hearing- India's new revised defense-offset guidelines will be applied to all RFPs released after 1 January 2011. As reported earlier, the MMRCA,  MMRT, army helicopters, as of now, remain under the RFP they were notified on.

Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik, chief of the air staff of the Indian Air Force, caught up with ShowNews’ Neelam Mathews last week to discuss his expectations for procurement, and immediate plans for increasing force levels. ShowNews: What is the status of the Medium  Multi Role Combat Aircraft bids? Where do  you see it moving from your perspective? CAS: This month, the Commercial Negotiation  Committee (CNC) will start. We have  given recommendations [to the Ministry of  Defense (MoD)] as to who meets the criteria and who does not. [The CNC is constituted  under the MoD. Its members are drawn from  the Acquisition Wing, the Service headquarters,  users, quality assurance directorate, and  the R&D organization]. All the six (vendors) meet 95% of the  requirements. SN: What are the technologies you expect to  get from foreign vendors? CAS:We expect to import raw metals, single  crystal engine blades, and, for th...