Modern Naval/ASW Helicopters

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Janse said:

]India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has chosen Sikorsky's S-70B Seahawk over the NH Industries (NHI) NH90 helicopter to fulfill the Indian Navy's (IN's) long-pending Multi-Role Helicopter (MRH) programme.

The S-70B - seen here in Republic of Singapore Navy service - is the sole remaining bidder for the Indian Navy's MRH requirement.

Officials said the NH90 had been excluded from the bidding process because of its commercial links with Italian defence conglomerate Finmeccanica, which the MoD 'partially banned' from new tenders in July.

This followed the 1 January termination of the EUR750 million (USD764 million) contract for 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) on alleged corruption charges that remain under investigation in India.

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aksha said:

@jeff head , as i do not know much about ASW helicopters ,

could you tell us the advantages of Sikorsky's S-70B Seahawk over the NH Industries (NHI) NH90 helicopter and vice versa.

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By October 2013, the U.S. Navy had purchased 203 MH-60R Seahawks and planned to buy another 77 helicopters in the fiscal years 2014 to 2016, however, this figure has since been reduced by 29 units resulting in a total of 249 MH-60R production helicopters + 2 research/test aircraft. The reduced quantity is due to expected carrier air wing reductions resulting in 16 fewer MH-60Rs + another 13 fewer helos due to a reduction in the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) fleet from 52 to 32 ships. In November 2014, the U.S. Navy took delivery of its 200th MH-60R.

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Mission/Role:The MH-60R Seahawk missions are anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support. The MH-60R will be the forward deployed fleet's primary anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare platform. The MH-60R provides battle group protection and adds significant capability in coastal littorals and regional conflicts

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Armament/Weapons: 1x M240 7.62mm machine gun or 1x GAU-21 .50 caliber machine gun (pylon mounted)
and 8x AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (on left and right extended pylons - 4 on each side)
or 3x Mk 50 lightweight torpedoes (Alliant Techsystems) or 3x Mk 54 MAKO lightweight torpedoes (Raytheon)

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Mission/Role:

The MH-60S will conduct vertical replenishment (VERTREP), day/night ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore, and shore-to-ship external transfer of cargo; internal transport of passengers, mail and cargo, vertical onboard delivery; air operations; and day/night search and rescue. Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures (OAMCM) has been added as a primary mission for the MH-60S. Five separate sensors will be integrated into the MH-60S helicopter and will provide Carrier Battle Groups and Amphibious Readiness Groups with an OAMCM capability.

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Armament/Weapons: 2x M240 7.62mm machine guns and 2x GAU-21 .50 caliber machine guns;
w/External Stores Support System (ESSS) mounted: 16x AGM-114 Hellfire missiles or 4x Hydra-70 rocket pods

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This was coming. In more than one way. And there's really no other way to put it. The paperwork hasn't gone out officially yet, but the NHIndustries NH90 is effectively out of the Indian Navy's multirole helicopter (MRH) contest, a fight for a 16 copter deal in which it squared off against Sikorsky's S-70B Sea Hawk. It isn't really just about being right (I had also written of the possible effects), but about how NHIndustries' fate was probably sealed long before the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scandal threw a cloud over all of Finmeccanica's potential business (NHIndustries is 32% owned by AgustaWestland) in India.

In the readily hostile world of competitive defence contracting, the MRH competition has been a particularly ill-tempered one, with NHIndustries managing the irk the Indian Navy in 2012 with a salvo of letters protesting preferential treatment to Sikorsky's product. What followed was an unusually hostile back-and-forth in which NHIndustries even managed annoy its end customer, the Indian Navy, enough to attract counter-accusations of misdemeanour. But NHIndustries had faith in process. If it was going to lose a deal, it wasn't going to do it without a fight. Well, a fight is precisely what it was for a few months. And then the bomb dropped.

With the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scandal breaking, it became rapidly clear that Finmeccanica's military business interests in India stood jeopardised. Between 2012-2014, the Indian Navy had held that both helicopters had met naval requirements. In August this year, the navy even indicated that both bids were to be opened for a final price battle. But that wasn't to be. New rules specifically evolved to deal with the Finmeccanica quagmire appear to have kicked in, forcing the Indian MoD to cut NHIndustries loose and proceed with Sikorsky.

The hostility in the competition and the nature of the allegations ensured that Sikorsky's S-70B was seen as the government's 'favoured choice' (precisely NHIndustries' protest), another juicy deal India would be throwing America's way. That was the sense, at any rate. But then none of that matters anymore. This was coming.

Oh, and this isn't just about 16 helicopters. The MRH is to be followed by the N-MRH competition for 123 helicopters. Config and requirements could be identical or largely the same. The Lockheed-Martin MH-60R will be looking to compete. And it shares an airframe with the S-70B. With the loud 'Make in India' campaign only set to get louder, the Romeo is likely to compete against Airbus Heli's EC725 Caracal.

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Kaman Corp. announced on December 1st that the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) has accepted the first SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopter for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Acceptance occurred at Kaman’s Bloomfield, Connecticut facility.
...
The SH-2G Super Seasprite is an advanced maritime weapon system and proven day/night/all-weather multi-mission helicopter. Originally designed to meet the exacting requirements of the U.S. Navy, the SH-2G Super Seasprite has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any maritime helicopter, assuring a safe return-to-ship capability even in single-engine flight conditions. Its robust design, outstanding stability, and excellent reliability have been proven through more than 1.5 million flight hours. The SH-2G is a multi-mission maritime weapon system designed to fulfill anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over the horizon targeting, surveillance, troop transport, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and utility missions. It is the largest, most powerful small ship helicopter in use today and is recognized for its mission effectiveness, support, and unmatched performance. The SH-2G Super Seasprite is currently operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Egyptian Air Force and the Polish Navy.

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NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has finally selected the US Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk for its shipboard multi-role helicopter (MRH) requirement. Sixteen helicopters will initially be bought for $1 billion.

Sikorsky's tender was opened December 4 on the Navy Day, soon after the navy chief, Admiral Robin Dhowan, said that the government was fast-tracking various programmes for the modernization of the armed forces, and that some of the naval projects would be cleared "very soon."

Indeed so, the opening of the commercial bid at the ministry of defence (MoD), where the files have been held up for one reason or another for three years, was a Navy Day gift to the force.

Admiral Dhowan, who hosted a big Navy Day reception, did not say anything on the ceremonial occasion but was visibly in smiles and high spirits. Only a day before,
on December 3, he had told this writer that it was "comforting" to the navy brass to know that long-pending requirements were now being procedurally cleared on fast-track.

In an interview with India Strategic (

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) before the Navy Day, the admiral indicated that the navy would likely exercise the option to buy the stipulated 16 helicopters along with an option for another eight. "To address critical shortages, the Indian Navy is progressing a case for acquisition of 16 MRH and I expect the commercial bids to be opened shortly. This project may be expanded
through an option clause to buy additional eight helicopters to meet any additional immediate requirements."

The navy is also buying 16 more Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) helicopters from state-run HAL, he disclosed.

The Sikorsky deal is estimated at around $1 billion-plus.

Sikorsky's Regional Executive for India and South Asia, Air Vice Marshal Arvind Jeet Singh Walia (retd), said that he was delighted at Sikorsky's selection, pointing out that he had been working for eight long years for the company's participation in Indian military programmes. "We look forward to fruitful negotiations now to conclude this requirement, and then move on for other projects."

The company has already offered to build helicopters in India under transfer of technology (TOT) subject to US export control laws.

The Seahawk is a naval variant of the US Army's Black Hawk UH 60 helicopter, which has a proven track record in US military ventures in different parts of the world, including Afghanistan.

The navy had floated a tender for 16 helicopters with an option for another eight in 2008. Besides the United Technologies Corporation Sikorsky helicopter, European NH Industries NH 90 was also shortlisted for technical trials, which both of them cleared. But before the commercial bids could be opened, allegations of corruption erupted in Italy over AgustaWestland's VVIP helicopter deal with India. As AgustaWestland is part of NHI, its commercial bid was not opened.

Italy's Finmeccanica has a controlling stake in the Anglo-Italian AgustaWestland, which in turn is a partner with Airbus Helicopters and Fokker Aerostructures in NHI. For the time being, the defence ministry is not dealing with any company related to AgustaWestland.

The Seahawk 70B can be used for both advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to neutralize underwater and over-water threats. One key requirement is for amphibious assault role - and the machines will be customized for that.

It will have potent radars and weapons from leading global majors, including Raytheon, Telephonics, BAE Systems, GE (two power plants), French Thales and six
other partners. The helicopters will replace the Indian Navy's quarter-century-old Westland Sea King Mk 42 B/C fleet.

What exactly is on board though in terms of capability will be decided in negotiations likely to commence within weeks.

Significantly, at the navy chief's reception, a very well-done short film on the Indian Navy was presented, and its script had ample emphasis on naval aviation in
protecting India's offshore maritime interests.

As for manufacturing helicopters in India in accordance with the Government's new 'Make in India' policy, Admiral Dhowan said: “Towards this end, we have begun the process of analyzing the capability and potential of the Indian aviation industry to make aviation assets in India through (industry bodies) Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI).

However as indigenous production could take some time to mature, it is "in the interim" that the navy is going in for acquiring helicopters from foreign vendors to "address (its) critical shortages”.

Air Vice Marshal Walia told India Strategic that as the number required is very small (16 + 8 (options), there cannot be any manufacturing India. But there is a 30
percent offsets clause, and Sikorsky will fully meet this obligation.

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