Aerospace Diary

ROTORHUB 29th September 2014 - 21:21 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi  Despite India’s Defence Acquisition Council having cleared the opening commercial bids for the delayed Indian Navy 16 Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH) tender on August 28, uncertainty hangs over the programme. The two final contenders are the  NHIndustries NH90 NFH  and  Sikorsky S-70B  but indications are that domestic production will be built into the programme. Reports from the US, where India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently visiting, suggest that the Sikorsky buy could be favoured in official circles, given the fallout with AgustaWestland that led to cancellation of the  AW101 VVIP  helicopter procurement. Questions also linger about the urgency of the need for the MRH given the state of the navy’s aging and depleted Sea King fleet.Adm RK Dhowan, India’s chief of Naval Staff, told Shephard: ‘The case is in its ....Read more on Shephard.com......

ROTORHUB 29th August 2014 - 18:14 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi India has cleared the offsets proposal for 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy helicopters for the Indian Air Force.  The Defence Acquisitions Council, (DAC), headed by the defence minister, announced the move on August 29. The approval comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled to visit to the US on September 30.  It takes both deals closer to completion with clearances to be made by the finance ministry, which shares its minister with defence, and by the Cabinet Committee of Security. Meanwhile, the long pending, oft re-tendered, 197 Indian Army/Air Force Reconnaissance Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) bid for the Indian Army and Air Force, has been officially scrapped, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Boeing, last year, signed a MoU with Bangalore-based ......................................