IAF awaits response to RFP for attack helicopters
04 Aug 2009
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has issued a fresh request for proposal (RFP) this year for supply of attack helicopters, defence minister AK Antony informed the country's parliament. The RFP has been issued even as the country awaits operational clearance of a HAL-designed and developed technology demonstrator of an attack helicopter.
The design and development programme of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was approved in October 2006.
The RFP for attack helicopters from foreign vendors has a chequered history with proposals from three suppliers being rejected earlier, as they failed to conform to specifications laid out in an RFP issued on 23 May 2008. When a technical evaluation of the proposals revealed lack of compliance, the RFP was withdrawn on 9 March 2009 and a fresh RFP issued on 25 May 2009.
The design and development programme of the Light Combat Helicopter was approved in October 2006.
There is a continuous attempt to export indigenously developed helicopters, such as the Dhruv. So far, HAL has sold five indigenously developed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters to Ecuador.