S -70B Sea Hawk Helicopter

[WolfPack86]

Seeking an extension of bids from Lockheed, Sikorsky on chopper acquisition. Want to complete acquisition
https://twitter.com/etdefence?lang=en

 

[WolfPack86]

Navy deal to procure multi-role helicopters from the US on deathbed

A key Navy deal to procure 16 multi-role helicopters from the US is virtually on deathbed as it has been stuck for over two years over the issue of price.”The contractual validity of the bid submitted by the American firm Sikorsky for its S-70 Seahawk choppers has already expired but the deal is stuck at the contract-negotiations stage for the last two years, including the price,” Navy sources told Mail Today.
Now, the deal will move forward only if Sikorsky, which has now been acquired by American defense giant Lockheed Martin, agrees to extend the validity of its commercial bid and also agrees to reduce the price of its choppers, they said.
Sources in defense ministry said the price of choppers asked for by the American firm is considered to be on a higher side when compared with the benchmark price decided by it at the time of issuing the tender nine years ago.
The 16 multi-role helicopters are sought by the Navy for its warships and upgrading its anti-submarine warfare capabilities which are on a decline as the Seaking helicopters bought from the UK in the 1980s would be on their way out from the force in near future, they added.
Sikorsky was selected by the Navy for its requirements in December 2014 as it emerged as the only bidder in the race after Finmeccannica was chucked out of the competition due to the chopper scam allegations on it.
After the tender bid was opened, sources said there was a demand made to raise the price of the choppers to meet inflation, but the defense ministry sought a further cut in the price demanded by the firm originally in its commercial bid.
Other issues like liability clause were also responsible for holding up the deal for some time, sources said.Navy sources said the deal is required badly for the force as it has to find a replacement for the SeaKing – 42 choppers bought from British firm Westland helicopters.
The Seahawk is a naval variant of the US Army’s legendary Black Hawk UH 60 helicopter. The Navy had floated a tender for 16 helicopters with an option for another eight in 2008. Seahawk S-70B can be used for advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to take on underwater and over water threats.
Even if India signs the deal immediately for the S-70 choppers, it will take at least three years for the first chopper to be delivered as they are complex machines and take time to be integrated.
The Navy also has plans of buying 123 more naval multi-role helicopters which would be a more than `673.62 million (USD 10 billion) affair as it has plans of deploying two choppers each on its outgoing destroyers and frigates which operate in high seas and need these planes for critical operations.
Navy’s light utility chopper contract was scrapped two years ago and the force is continuing flying the vintage Cheetah choppers. The tender for new choppers is stuck as the defense ministry is waiting to clear the strategic partnership policy.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/02/navy-deal-to-procure-multi-role.html

 

[WolfPack86]

Decision soon on 16 @Sikorsky S-70B multirole helicopters for the @IndianNavy, Indian MoD tells Parliament Committee.
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

 

[SajeevJino]

Decision soon on 16 @Sikorsky S-70B multirole helicopters for the @IndianNavy, Indian MoD tells Parliament Committee.
https://twitter.com/livefist?lang=en

the decision already took to buy the S 70 B

what could be the new revised decision, scrap the tender and float new one, or the estimated price is too much

 

[WolfPack86]

MoD scraps Rs 6,500 crore Navy helicopter deal

The Defence Ministry has scrapped a Rs 6,500 crore deal for buying 16 S-70B multirole helicopters for the Navy from America as the government is bargaining hard on price with foreign vendors and promoting Make in India in the military sector for reducing imports.

With budgets not increasing in proportion with modernization demands of the armed forces, the Defence Ministry is using hard bargaining as a tool to cut down the cost of projects. The final decision on the matter was taken by the ministry after the Contracts Negotiation Committee (CNC) headed by the Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager (Maritime Systems) recommended the retraction of the tender.

It is now learnt that the procurement of these 16 choppers would be merged with a Make in India programme to produce around 140 Naval Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) for equipping all major naval warships with one multirole helicopter each when they go in for blue water missions and anti-piracy patrols.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TejasMrca/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[sthf]

Every time a tender gets cancelled, this is the song that probably plays in the minds of Western arms companies.

 

[WolfPack86]

Navy to issue EoI for 110 light utility helicopters under 'Make in India'

According to government sources "As the strategic partnership policy has been cleared by the government, an Expression of Interest would be issued to the Indian firms by the Defence Ministry in the next few weeks to buy 110 copters, which would be under the 'Made in India' project".

The sources said the Ka-226T chosen for the Army and Air Force, does not meet the naval requirements and therefore, a fresh tender would be required for buying the copters for the maritime force, they said.

A number of Indian firms including Mahindra, L&T and Bharat Forge are likely to take part in the tender for which the foreign partner would be searched for separately by the force. Foreign vendors to participate in the tender include Airbus Helicopters from Europe, Russian Helicopters, Sikorsky and Bell Helicopters from the US.

The Navy is also looking to come out with a fresh tender for acquiring 123 Naval Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) through the Make in India route and that is touted to be one of the biggest copter tenders in the world. The MoD had recently cancelled a tender to buy 16 copters from American firm Sikorsky due to issues over price and delays in acquisition.

The foreign copters will have to compete against HAL's LUH which is currently in development.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TejasMrca/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

The @IndianNavy's troubled naval utility helicopter requirement is reportedly returning from the dead. http://ow.ly/FuFl30dnO7D
https://twitter.com/livefist

 

[WolfPack86]

INDIAN NAVY LAUNCHES HUNT TO ACQUIRE 110 HELICOPTERS IN $5 BILLION DEAL

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has begun its process of acquiring 110 light utility helicopters after rejecting Russia's Kamov Ka-226T, which are being built for the Air Force and Army, according to a Ministry of Defence official.

"The Kamov 226T does not have blade folding and cannot be fitted inside a ship's hangar. Moreover, it is not suitable to carry the torpedoes, which is the mandatory requirement," said an Indian Navy official.

The light utility helicopters, or LUH, will be procured under the strategic partnership policy India's government approved last month, under which a private-sector defence company will be selected as a strategic partner, which, in turn, will tie up with an overseas original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, shortlisted by the MoD.

In the next two months, an expression of interest will be given to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. The domestic companies will partner with overseas OEMs to compete for the contract worth $5 billion.

Under the proposal, 30 helicopters will be procured off the self and the remaining 80 will be manufactured in India by the selected private company. The Indian Navy wants to begin induction of the LUH within eight years.
However, the response for technology transfer of LUH from OEMs is not expected to be enthusiastic due to the lower number of order, the Indian Navy official said.

Airbus helicopters from Europe, Russian helicopters from Sikorsky and Bell helicopters from the U.S. are likely to compete in the LUH program.

The MoD has yet to decide whether to ask AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Leonardo of Italy, to participate in the program because of pending alleged corruption against AgustaWestland in its 2010 contract for VVIP helicopters, which was finally cancelled in 2014.

The contract will be awarded to the best technical offer and lowest price offer, the MoD official added.

The Indian Navy's LUH will be a twin-engine helicopter weighing 4.5 tons and can be used for both shore-based and offshore operations and operate from ship decks in all weather during the day and at night.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/07/indian-navy-launches-hunt-to-acquire.html

 

[Dovah]

INDIAN NAVY LAUNCHES HUNT TO ACQUIRE 110 HELICOPTERS IN $5 BILLION DEAL

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has begun its process of acquiring 110 light utility helicopters after rejecting Russia's Kamov Ka-226T, which are being built for the Air Force and Army, according to a Ministry of Defence official.

"The Kamov 226T does not have blade folding and cannot be fitted inside a ship's hangar. Moreover, it is not suitable to carry the torpedoes, which is the mandatory requirement," said an Indian Navy official.

The light utility helicopters, or LUH, will be procured under the strategic partnership policy India's government approved last month, under which a private-sector defence company will be selected as a strategic partner, which, in turn, will tie up with an overseas original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, shortlisted by the MoD.

In the next two months, an expression of interest will be given to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. The domestic companies will partner with overseas OEMs to compete for the contract worth $5 billion.

Under the proposal, 30 helicopters will be procured off the self and the remaining 80 will be manufactured in India by the selected private company. The Indian Navy wants to begin induction of the LUH within eight years.
However, the response for technology transfer of LUH from OEMs is not expected to be enthusiastic due to the lower number of order, the Indian Navy official said.

Airbus helicopters from Europe, Russian helicopters from Sikorsky and Bell helicopters from the U.S. are likely to compete in the LUH program.

The MoD has yet to decide whether to ask AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Leonardo of Italy, to participate in the program because of pending alleged corruption against AgustaWestland in its 2010 contract for VVIP helicopters, which was finally cancelled in 2014.

The contract will be awarded to the best technical offer and lowest price offer, the MoD official added.

The Indian Navy's LUH will be a twin-engine helicopter weighing 4.5 tons and can be used for both shore-based and offshore operations and operate from ship decks in all weather during the day and at night.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/07/indian-navy-launches-hunt-to-acquire.html

Sikorsy is not a Russian company.

 

[WolfPack86]

Indian Navy wants two configuration for its new naval multirole helicopters (NMRH) : standard multirole version and a special operations version

The standard version will replace the navy’s in-service Sea Kings (both Mk.42B and UH-3H) and be deployed on missions that include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic intelligence, SAR, external cargo carriage and limited casualty evacuation.

The Special Operations variant will be specifically kitted out for its Marine Commandos (MARCOS) in maritime interdiction during anti-piracy operations, combat search and rescue (CSAR) and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The navy has drawn up a list of kit that it wants on the Special Ops version of the helicopter it chooses, including two pintle-mounted guns in the cabin, data-link, weather radar, automatic identification system (AIS), tactical air navigation system (TACAN), IFF, EOD, FDR, CVR, ELT, SATCOM, software defined radio (two V/UHF & one HF set), rescue hoist, deck lock system, integrated self protection suite for continuous monitoring, warning and countermeasures dispensing against infrared, radar and laser guided and standard fittings for day and night flying manned by crew of four persons.

The Indian Navy will decide on how many of each it wants in the 123 when it formally floats an RfP by next year.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TejasMrca/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

Navy to add Special Ops helicopters to its fleet

With expanding profile in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Indian Navy is looking to add dedicated helicopters for Special Operations in its fleet. Some of the Naval Multi-Role Helicopters (NMRH) for which the tender was issued last week will be in this configuration.

“Of the 123 NMRH to be procured, 33 will be dedicated variants for Special Operations," a senior officer told The Hindu.

Last week the Navy had issued the Request for Information (RFI) to global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) for the procurement of 123 NMRH and 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH). The procurement would be under the recently approved Strategic Partnership (SP) model of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).

Some of the 33 helicopters would be used for training Marine Commandoes (MARCOS) and the rest would be based on shore as well as on frontline warships, the officer added.

The helicopters would be twin-engine and weigh atleast 12.5 tonnes. According to the RFI, the requirements include the ability to carry 12 fully equipped troops along with 400 Kg of equipment or eight fully equipped troops and one auto inflatable craft in a stowed configuration.

In addition to special ops and commando role, the helicopters will also perform other roles like troop carriage, maritime interdiction including anti-piracy operations, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), external cargo carriage, limited casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

The Navy currently has a few variants of Sea King helicopters in service in a commando role. But they are of 1970s vintage and technologically obsolete. Several attempts to replace them have repeatedly failed.

The SP model was approved in May in an attempt to develop domestic defence manufacturing and promote the private sector. The model forms the Chapter 7 of the DPP.

Helicopters play a crucial role in clearing the path for the warships and battle groups as they move on the high seas and they are also the first responders to a distress call.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TejasMrca/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

INDIAN NAVY'S HELICOPTER REQUIREMENTS

The Indian Navy has revealed an intention to procure approximately 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) and 123 Naval Multi-role Helicopters (MRH). The responses to two requests for information (RFI) documents by the Indian Ministry of Defence were due last week.

The two projects are partially a restatement of earlier requirements that were never realized. They both require indigenous manufacture under Delhi’s “Make in India” requirements.

In December 2014, the MoD chose the Sikorsky S-70B to meet an interim ASW/ASuW requirement, but a contract was never signed, since pricing could not be agreed.

The NUH will replace aging Cheetahs and Chetaks. A previous requirement for only 56 such helicopters was cancelled in October 2014. The new request calls for the NUH to perform SAR, medical evacuation, communications, anti-piracy missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The initial NUH acquisition will comprise 15 “basic” versions. The remaining 96, according to think tank Indian Defense Research Wing, are “required to have sub-surface mission capabilities, which means the whole fleet of Indian Navy’s Next Generation Naval Utility Helicopters will have torpedo-carrying capabilities.”
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TeamINDRA/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

Defense Acquisition Council cleared the deal to acquire 111 utility helicopters for Indian Navy.It is a ₹ 21,738 crore mega project. 95 helicopters will be made in India under the "Make In India" while remaining 16 will come in fly-away condition.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TeamINDRA/photos/?ref=page_internal

 

[WolfPack86]

In next 15 days defence ministry must clear naval multi role helicopter for Indian Navy. I am glad defence minister cleared naval utility helicopter.

 

[WolfPack86]

After years of procrastination over selecting a new naval multi-role helicopter (MRH), the Indian Ministry of Defence may still make an interim purchase of up to 24 Sikorsky S-70B Seahawkss. This follows repeated appeals by the Indian Navy to hasten the program, given the state of its aging and depleted Sea King fleet and its ambitions to become a "Blue Water Navy." India recently issued a new request for information (RFI) for 123 MRHs to perform anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), electronic intelligence-gathering, and search and rescue (SAR). These helicopters would be procured and produced according to Delhi’s "Make in India" policy.

However, “The Navy wants these [24 S-70Bs] yesterday,” a senior official told AIN. The performance of the Seahawk has been accepted by the service, following trials. But previous and extended commercial negotiations with Sikorsky failed at agreeing on price, with the American company refusing to extend its bid and take account of the depreciation of the Indian currency against the U.S. dollar over the past nine years.

Now, the Indian government is considering procuring 16 S-70Bs plus eight options via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure.

With elections due in 2019, the Indian government is keen to preserve its "clean" image, and opting for an FMS would help achieve that. As a senior American government official testified to the U.S. Congress last June, “Demonstrating to the public that an acquisition is free of corruption is a significant selling point of the FMS system. Moreover, FMS provides a total-package approach, including sustainment, technical support, training, and software/hardware updates," said Tina Kaidanow, acting assistant secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

Designed to perform ASW and ASuW missions, the S-70B will be configured to meet the Indian Navy’s specific and unique operational needs, said Lockheed Martin. They will include a weapons management system that integrates an advanced sonar, 360-degree search radar, modern air-to-surface missiles, and torpedoes for the ASW role. “The S-70B aircraft also will enhance the Indian Navy’s capabilities to perform non-combat maritime roles, including search and rescue, utility and external cargo lift, surveillance and casualty evacuation,” Lockheed Martin added in a statement.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/11/indian-navy-purchase-of-sikorsky.html

 

[WolfPack86]

This S 70b sea hawk helicopter deal is to compensate US for F-16 deal loss. And also naval multi role helicopter deal will go to US.

 

[WolfPack86]

INDIAN NAVY TO BOOST ITS FIREPOWER, TO PURCHASE 24 MULTI-ROLE CHOPPERS
Proposal to buy these choppers expected to be discussed in the defence ministry meeting next week

Indian navy is trying to decrease its dependence on old choppers in its fleet. It seeks to procure better choppers with an aim that each warship has one chopper associated with it. After several unsuccessful attempts at procuring choppers, the navy has renewed its efforts

In a desperate bid to buy multi-role helicopters, the Indian Navy is moving a proposal worth over Rs. 12,000 crore to buy 24 of these choppers which would be deployed for anti-submarine warfare as well as operations by its Marine Commando (MARCOS) special forces.

"We have moved a proposal worth Rs. 12,000 crore to buy 24 multi-role helicopters through a tender under the buy global category of the defence procurement procedure for our warships and sea-based operations," a source in the Navy told MAIL TODAY. The proposal is expected to come up for discussion during an important meeting of the defence ministry scheduled to be held next week under defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the source said.

The move has come at a time when the defence ministry was forced to retract a more-thannine-year tender to purchase choppers from American firm Sikorsky Corporation due to very high price and the refusal of the firm to extend its contractual validity in view of the long acquisition process.

After the contract was scrapped, the navy was trying to procure the choppers from American firm under the Foreign Military Sales programme, but it is learnt that the defence ministry put its foot down as it wants a multi-vendor competition in all defence deals to avoid monopolistic situations.

In almost all the single-vendor cases, the vendors increase the price of their products manifold while trying to bypass the procedures given under the defence procurement rules. Once the proposal is cleared, the navy will issue a global request for proposal in which the American firm Sikorsky and European firm Airbus Helicopters are expected to participate.

In the previous tender, the navy had wanted to buy 16 choppers but now it wants to go for 24 choppers in view of the increased responsibilities in its area of operations. Some navy officers claimed that the force was in a bad condition as its old Seaking multi-role choppers were getting older and its warships were operating without multirole choppers.

The navy also has plans of issuing an international tender for purchasing 123 Naval Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) which would allow it to deploy one chopper each on all of its warships. Navy officers claimed that recently when the MARCOS were operating in the Gulf of Aden in thwarting a piracy bid, they felt restricted while taking action against a group of pirates who ran away from the site.

The defence ministry has already given a go-ahead to the maritime force to purchase 111 naval utility helicopters for its requirement to replace its vintage Cheetah/Chetak choppers.
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/12/indian-navy-to-boost-its-firepower-to.html

 

[WolfPack86]

I do know what MOD is doing when they are going to release RFI for 123 naval multi role helicopters why need to procure 24 naval multi role helicopters separately. We can directly procure 24 S 70 b under FMS from USA it is waste of time and money.

 

[WolfPack86]

India to procure 24 naval multi role helicopters.