The United States’ Sikorsky has bagged the contract for Indian Navy’s Rs 6,000 crore proposal for acquisition of 16 multi-role helicopters for its warships.
Commercial bids were opened and as Sikorsky’s S-70B helicopter was the sole bid left in the fray after “partial ban” on the European company Finmeccanica, it was declared the winner.
A “partial ban” was imposed on Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland after the controversy over the Rs. 3,550-crore VVIP helicopter deal, in August this year. The partial ban meant the company would not be able to take part in any future defence deals, the Defence Acquisition Council clarified earlier.
Indian Navy, in 2008, floated a global tender for 16 multirole helicopters to operate from its warships with an option for eight more. Finmecccanica with its NH-90 and Sikrosky with S-70B were left in the evaluation which saw many claims and counter claims of deviation in the process.
Seahawk S-70B can be used for advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to take on underwater and over water threats.
Source Hindu and Firstpost