By Nicholas Ionides & Brendan Sobie in Singapore
India has again delayed the release of a tender in its next-generation fighter competition and is also yet to open price bids for an army requirement for nearly 200 multi-role light helicopters.
Six manufacturers now expect to receive an invitation to tender (ITT) for the 126-aircraft fighter requirement in the third quarter of this year. The document had initially been scheduled for release last June and manufacturers were later confident they would receive it in December or January, following the completion of a new offset policy.
Industry sources say the Indian air force has not explained the continual delays to the programme, and add that manufacturers are still waiting for the nation’s defence ministry to issue revised offset guidelines for the requirement. US companies have been lobbying against a policy change since late last year, fearing this could make it difficult for them to compete with European and Russian suppliers (Flight International, 29 November–5 December 2005).
The ITT is expected to include the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, RSK MiG-29 and Saab Gripen.
Boeing has already discussed potential offset arrangements, including possible co-production of the Super Hornet by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics, says Integrated Defense Systems president and chief executive Jim Albaugh. “I’m hopeful we will see a request for proposals this summer,” he adds. Albaugh says the dollar value of the competition is not yet clear, as “it could be a split buy or it could be a winner-take-all”.
Meanwhile, the Indian army is expected to open bids from Bell and Eurocopter within the next few weeks for the light helicopter requirement, with the service having completed field evaluations of the companies’ 407 and AS550 helicopters in mid-2005. A platform selection had been expected by early this year, but the manufacturers now expect a contract award by late March next year.
Source: Flight International
