Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH)

[youngindian]

HAL cancels tender for co-developing medium-lift choppers



New Delhi, June 25: India's plans to get an indigenous medium-lift helicopter have received a setback as its premier aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has cancelled a tender to select a global partner for co-developing the 10-12 tonne class choppers for the armed forces.

HAL had released the tender for selecting a partner for co-developing the chopper for both civilian and military markets and French Company Eurocopter and Russian Mil were shortlisted for the contract.

However, the tender was cancelled as the armed forces' specifications for their requirements in the chopper were changed during the tender process, Defence Ministry sources told a news agency.

The medium-lift helicopter development plan is being undertaken by HAL to replace the older versions of the Russian Mi-17s flying with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

Under the co-development programme, sources said, HAL and the chosen partner were supposed to produce around 350 of these helicopters over a period of 10-15 years and gradually replace the Mi-8 and Mi-17s.

"HAL will now release the tender again after adding in the additional specifications given by the armed forces and the process is expected to begin in next two months but the schedule has not yet been finalised," they said.

 

[I-G]

HAL cancels tender for co-developing medium-lift choppers

HAL cancels tender for co-developing medium-lift choppers

New Delhi, June 25: India's plans to get an indigenous medium-lift helicopter have received a setback as its premier aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has cancelled a tender to select a global partner for co-developing the 10-12 tonne class choppers for the armed forces.

HAL had released the tender for selecting a partner for co-developing the chopper for both civilian and military markets and French Company Eurocopter and Russian Mil were shortlisted for the contract.

However, the tender was cancelled as the armed forces' specifications for their requirements in the chopper were changed during the tender process, Defence Ministry sources told a news agency.

The medium-lift helicopter development plan is being undertaken by HAL to replace the older versions of the Russian Mi-17s flying with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

Under the co-development programme, sources said, HAL and the chosen partner were supposed to produce around 350 of these helicopters over a period of 10-15 years and gradually replace the Mi-8 and Mi-17s.

"HAL will now release the tender again after adding in the additional specifications given by the armed forces and the process is expected to begin in next two months but the schedule has not yet been finalised," they said

HAL cancels tender for co-developing medium-lift choppers

 

[Sridhar]

Already this has news has been started as a thread by YI

http://www.defenceforum.in/forum/in...els+tender+co-developing+medium-lift+choppers

 

[jackprince]

IA, IAF and IN - why does their requirements change so many times and so frequently? Can't they be a lil more professional about it? I heard same for LCA, Arjun etc etc.

 

[bhramos]

India Medium-Lift Helo Program Faces More Delays

India Medium-Lift Helo Program Faces More Delays

NEW DELHI - India's homegrown Medium Lift Helicopter project has been grounded as state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has failed to find global partners to co-develop the helicopter.

HAL has broken off negotiations with Eurocopter of France and Mil Design Bureau of Russia. One of the companies was to have been awarded the contract for co-development of the program.

Sources in the Indian Defence Ministry said the Medium Lift Helicopter program is already delayed and cannot be delayed further. As such, they say, a procurement is to be made from the global market, though the HAL project also will stay.

HAL has been looking for global partners to co-develop the 10-metric-ton helicopter for use by the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force. The state-owned company has been negotiating with Eurocopter and Mil Design Bureau for two years, but no vendor has received a final selection.

An official from HAL, however, said the project is still on, adding that the technical and financial details offered by Eurocopter and Mil Design Bureau could not be synchronized with HAL requirements. The official gave no details.

Indian defense forces need to deploy a medium-lift, 10-ton helicopter to replace aging Russian-made Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters. There is a total demand of more than 350 Medium Lift Helicopters by the three wings of the Indian defense forces, with a major requirement from the Indian Navy.

The Navy asked the Defence Ministry in March to purchase medium-lift helicopters from the overseas market, citing delays in HAL's co-development project.

HAL took up the Medium Lift Helicopter program nearly five years ago, and the program is still in the drawing-room stage. Further delays in the procurement of the helicopter will affect the combat worthiness of the Indian Navy, said a senior Navy official.

The Navy wants the medium-lift chopper for combat and rescue missions, while the Army and Air Force want the helicopters mainly for logistics purposes.

Last year, HAL bagged an order for 187 Light Observation Helicopters, while the remaining order for 197 copters was floated globally. Sources in the Defence Ministry said HAL is on a global hunt to find partners to speed up that program, so that the Army can take delivery of the helicopters by 2014.

But the Light Observation Helicopter program also is delayed, as the Defence Ministry canceled the procurement process for 197 helicopters at the final stage, in which Eurocopter emerged as the front-runner against Bell Helicopter of the United States. However, following Bell's complaints on issues of transparency in the procurement process, the government decided to cancel the contest and seek fresh bids.

The Army and Air Force need new light helicopters to replace about 300 aging Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. HAL is developing the 3-metric-ton Light Observation Helicopter and the program is on track, said a HAL official.

India Medium-Lift Helo Program Faces More Delays - Defense News

 

[AJSINGH]

that is sad news , i find HAL stopping moderniztion of armed forces in some way , i mean it is good that we are developing our own weapons but at the same time , it should not obstruct with the current process of accquiring new weapons , HAL delay shuld be taken seriously ,and as temporary solution , Indian armed forces should procure helicopters no matter what HAL says . i mean it is just not done , GOI gives contract to HAL , good decision to give boost to indeginious weapons but HAL fails to diliever , it has happened so may time , LCA, IJT, now this , for once HAL should diliver something in time , so that at least we have faith in our self made weapons .

 

[bhramos]

do u know , that IJT has a Guinness Record,
this plane was built in less then 1 yr, including design too.
but what happen now i dont know,
i think Russia would always be first to help India, but what happen?

 

[ppgj]

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The request for proposal (RFP) or tender, for the avionics upgrade of the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s Russian medium-lift Mi-17 helicopters, is expected anytime this month.The 100 million dollar upgrade would primarily be a cockpit upgrade in the almost two-decade old choppers, where state of the art LCD screen, touch screen and other features would be installed in the cockpit, so as to reduce attention of the pilot from the cockpit.

Other features that the Mi-17 integrated helicopter avionics system would have are instrument approach, night and day navigation in all kinds of weather conditions, increased flight safety features, better communication equipment, low-level flight safety due to terrain awareness and warning system and night vision.

The twin-engined utility helicopters are primarily used for troop insertion/extraction, casualty evacuation, logistic supply, search and rescue, reconnaissance and observation. They are operating in high altitude areas like Siachen Glacier and have also been part of UN missions abroad, where as part of the Indian contingent they have been in the Aero Medical Evacuation Team also.

American Honeywell, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the Russian State Export Agency are the likely contenders expecting to recieve the open RFP.Around 100 Mi-17 helicopters will be fitted with the new generation avionics. Since the engines would not be changed or upgraded, therefore life of the helicopter is not expected to increase, said a source.

The new Mi-17 1V, which are around 40, are also expected to be fitted with the new avionics.The Mi-17 1V are the latest advanced Mi-17 helicopters.

The new 80 Mi-17 helicopters, for which the IAF order is with the Russian Kazan, also lack the new advanced cockpit features, as the Russian company doing the avionics, Transas, has reportedly failed to deliver those avionics, and Kazan has approached Honeywell for the avionics for these helicopters to be delivered to India.

Copyright: People's Post

Chindits: RFP For Mi-17 Avionics Upgrade This Month !!

 

[Rahul Singh]

do u know , that IJT has a Guinness Record,
i think Russia would always be first to help India, but what happen?

Because success of HAL IMRH will mean no MIL-17 export to India. One less customer, shallow pocket and much more.

Poster of HAL Medium Lift Helicopter aka HAL IMRH from aeroIndia 09

 

[anoop_mig25]

IA, IAF and IN - why does their requirements change so many times and so frequently? Can't they be a lil more professional about it? I heard same for LCA, Arjun etc etc.

because this people are really not interested in useing indian products .its indian mentality which like forein ka maal but hats desi

 

[Rahul Singh]

Problem is multifold.

a. Forces(minus navy) are sceptical about capability of developers, so they stay off from getting involved.
b. Defence industry in India is still grooming. So produces are not fighting fit from beginning.
c. Forces have supermarket costumer's mentality. Best! Unfortunetly a nascent industry like ours can't supply on day-1.

 

[plugwater]

HAL might go solo on New 10-12 Ton Multi-Role Helicopter

As per source HAL is considering going solo in development of new Multi role helicopter in 10-12 ton class , HAL has been offered joint venture on 10-12 ton class by Eurocopter and a Russian company Kamov which it self is working on new generation 10 ton helicopter to replace old Russian Mi-8/17 helicopters from its fleet .

HAL has studied both the proposal and asked MOD (Ministry of Defence) advice on whether to consider joint venture or to go solo on the project and built every thing in house , HAL has per source has already done preliminary work on design of the new 10-12 ton class helicopter ,which will be based on enlarged Dhruv design ,with seating capacity of 24 on board.

New Multi-Role Helicopter will be similar in performance to Mi-17 which is operated by Indian air force , and will be replacing old Mi-8 and Mi-17 from IAF fleet ,while Indian Army also has shown interest in the project and wants to induct this new helicopter in its air wing , in the mean time IAF will start receiving newly ordered 80 MI-17 V helicopters from Russia soon .

Hal has estimated that requirements of New Multi-Role Helicopter will be more then 300+ in Indian Armed Forces ,while HAL will also be targeting Export orders since more then 5000 Mi-8/17 variants are operational in more then 40 air forces around the world and many are considering replacing them with never helicopters .

http://idrw.org/?p=2265

 

[Agantrope]

What will be the timeline for this Helo? Will they roll-out soon?

HAL is hecking them with a lot of projects like LCH, LUH and now the MRH

 

[plugwater]

What will be the timeline for this Helo? Will they roll-out soon?

HAL is hecking them with a lot of projects like LCH, LUH and now the MRH

Considering the recent success of HAL in LCH and LUH projects we can expect the first flight by 2013 and induction around 2016.

Here is a picture

 

[Rahul Singh]

I don't expect first prototype coming before 2015(remember this helicopter will be in all new class and from no where a scale-down or scale-up version of ALH) and IOC anytime before 2018. And i see no problem with this timeline because IMRH is expected to replace MI-17s which have much life left in them. In sum forces are not facing acute situation as far as MLH are concerned and HAL is not required to go in unnecessary hurry for meeting the requirement.

 

[plugwater]

What engine we are going to use in this helicopter? Shakti engine is under powered for this program,so a new engine ?

 

[Rahul Singh]

Yes, Shakti is underpowered and it can't be used. I think HAL may go for GE T700 or Turbomeca Makila or any equivalent turboshaft.

 

[ZOOM]

I don't expect first prototype coming before 2015(remember this helicopter will be in all new class and from no where a scale-down or scale-up version of ALH) and IOC anytime before 2018. And i see no problem with this timeline because IMRH is expected to replace MI-17s which have much life left in them. In sum forces are not facing acute situation as far as MLH are concerned and HAL is not required to go in unnecessary hurry for meeting the requirement.

Fully agreed, since designing and developing Helicopter which can meet the task of Russian Helilifts in our inventory is challange of very large proporation, on the face of it, this MLH need to meet the requirement of high altitude landing and transporting the payload. But, delays have become a centerpiece of various defence project in our country because of constant specification changes. Although HAL has shown outstanding amount of confidence in delivering LOH ahead of schedule provided there are no more engine development delay with French. It would highly advisable for HAL to produce MLH in joint partnership with Russians only because of their proven design.

 

[Rahul Singh]

It would highly advisable for HAL to produce MLH in joint partnership with Russians only because of their proven design.

ZOOM first of all nice to see you back. Yes it is a better option and HAL had tried for it in past but unfortunetly things didn't turned out as it should have been. Russians presented cold shoulder to JV plans then HAL went to west but nothing encouraging came out from there too. So at last after ringing all bells HAL was left with no option other than going alone.

BTW i'm skeptical about Russians enthusiasm. They have made everything possible(deliberately or not, can't say) to keep MTA plans strictly on paper for last 8 years. Counting on this if given option i will be more that happy not to choose Russia as a partner.

May be Russians hate Indians becoming self-dependent because she is the largest market for them.

 

[ZOOM]

ZOOM first of all nice to see you back. Yes it is a better option and HAL had tried for it in past but unfortunetly things didn't turned out as it should have been. Russians presented cold shoulder to JV plans then HAL went to west but nothing encouraging came out from there too. So at last after ringing all bells HAL was left with no option other than going alone.

BTW i'm skeptical about Russians enthusiasm. They have made everything possible(deliberately or not, can't say) to keep MTA plans strictly on paper for last 8 years. Counting on this if given option i will be more that happy not to choose Russia as a partner.

May be Russians hate Indians becoming self-dependent because she is the largest market for them.

Certainly, no one would like us to be self-dependent because of lucrative market that we have created. I think, we would need to explore US as a major partner in building of MLH as it has array of helicopters alongwith specifications which far exceed that of our own users. Reasong for bringing US into equation is there ability to respond to our requirements immediatly as can be seen from P-8I and C-130J which are all readly for test flight after giving them order one or two years before.