Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Long sought by the depleted Indian Air Force, Apache attack and Chinook heavy lift helicopters seem set to punch in through the opening created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Rafale breakthrough. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has sought the mandatory finance ministry approval for purchase of 22 Boeing Apache attack helicopters from the US as a prelude to moving the Cabinet Committee on Security. The $2 billion purchase has been hanging fire since 2009 with the US defence major offering its 11th extension on price till June 30, 2015.

South Block officials said that Parrikar has also directed defence finance officials to fast-track the acquisition of 15 Chinook heavy helicopters from the US or record their reservations, if any, for the CCS to take a final view. “Acquisition cannot remained mired in red tape. If the officials have any concerns, they should record it on file so that the political leadership can take a decision on either to concur with their view or reject it. Sitting on the file is not an option,” said a senior South Block official. Manufactured by Boeing, the Chinook deal is worth around $1.1 billion and has been in limbo as long as the Apache.

The Apache qualified in the attack helicopter category as the other contender did not meet the specifications, Chinook qualified for the heavy copter tender as the lowest bidder on grounds of landed price, fuel efficiency and maintenance for 10 years after beating the Russia-made Mi-26 in 2012.

The IAF has only two squadrons of the roughly 25 years old Mi-35 attack helicopters, it has only three Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters with low serviceability. The IAFdesperately requires attack helicopters like Apache to counter any aggression from the west and needs rapid deployment capability along the 3,488-km mountainous Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Boeing has offered India 15 Chinooks (CH-47F) with the option of purchase of seven more of the twin rotor helicopters that can carry 55 combat-ready troops or up to 11,000 kg of cargo.

In case of the Apache, Boeing has offered 22 platforms with the option of buying another 11 through both government-to-government and direct commercial sales route. The US manufacturer has offered state-of-the-art Longbow radar with Hellfire fire-and-forget all-weather missiles, Stinger missiles and rockets. Both helicopters use top-of-the-line technology and have been battle-proven in the Afghanistan and Iraq theatres.

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Jeff Head said:

I thought the Apache and Chinook orders were a done deal back in 2012, and that the finance approval already came in 2014:

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Isn't this just a desire to fast track their actual delivery?

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India today said all future negotiations for purchase of French Rafale fighters would be through government to government route, discarding direct talks with manufacturers.
Dassault Rafale had won the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) competition for 126 fighter jets in 2012. AFP

The disclosure by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar came two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition from the French government directly, sidestepping gruelling three-year negotiations for Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA)
tender.

Modi announced purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition from the French government
directly, sidestepping a gruelling three-year negotiations for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender.

While initially the tender was valued at about $10 billion for 126 aircraft, the current price is estimated to be over $20 billion, over which India had serious reservations.

Noting that negotiations had entered into a "loop" or a "vortex" with no solution in sight, Parrikar said direct negotiations with France will now decide how much more Rafale aircraft has to be bought and whether it will be under 'Make in India' programme.

The minister refrained from giving a direct reply to questions whether the requirement of Air Force for more MMRCA will be through Rafale or if any other player can come into action.

"Scope was only possible in government to government deal. Instead of going through the Request for Proposal (RFP) route where there was lot of confusion and chaos, it was decided that we will go through the G2G route," he said explaining that 36 Rafale jets would be procured in ready-to-fly condition.

He said what has to be done about the rest would be decided after discussions between the two governments.

Asked what will happen to 'Make in India' initiative, Parrikar said, it would be decided after proper discussions.

He said, he won't be able to give more details as the "fine print of what has been agreed in not with me".

Underlining that it was his personal opinion, Parrikar said in certain strategic areas like defence, government-to-government (G2G) route was better.

"Whenever you have complex platform to be acquired, government routes are normally better routes," he said giving the example of DTTI between India and US.

He refused to give a timeline for the delivery of 36 Rafale jets saying, at the prime minister's level, the nitty-gritty of a deal is not worked out.

"You agree with the principle. The principle has been agreed. Now the two sides will sit together and will work out all the details," he said.

Asked if India can go beyond 126 Rafale jets, Parrikar said, 126 was itself a "financially a steep slope to climb".

He said that everything will depend on discussions.

"That (Make in India) will depend on how we negotiate. What is the total quantum (of order). We may not go for full 126. That will be decided after we discuss at government to government level," the minister said.

Asked if this means the MMRCA tender has been scrapped or will die a natural death, the minister pointed out that he has neither said it will die nor that it was scrapped.

"But I can say that it has gone into a loop or vortex. That is why this route had to be taken to break the vortex... now if you start the process once again, by the time you complete it, it will take five years. Day by day, it was becoming more stiff," Parrikar said.

He said the G2G route was taken to break the ice.

Talking about the operational requirement of the Indian Air Force, which currently has 34 Squadrons, Parrikar said LCA would be replacing the ageing MiG 21s, whose life has been extended by another eight years or so.

He underlined that Indian now has better missile technology now than the time when the ideal squadron strength for IAF was registered at 42.

Parriker termed it as "strange", the decision of the previous government to designate only HAL as the partner under the tender.

He said the main problem was the man power ration proposed by HAL which was 2.7, which was "very high" in terms of cost.

Asked from where he will get the money, he said, management of resources was known to him as he had the
experience of running a "state government without money when the mining ban was on".

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Bltizo said:

So about a year and a half from keel laying to launch? That's quite good time, certainly better than the average of 3-4 years from keel laying to launch for the three P15As.

I suppose the big question now will be how long it takes from launch to sea trials, AKA fitting out, as fitting out the subsystems were the longest delays for P15As.

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