It is the car vs bike analogy.The armed forces require large numbers of light helos for a variety of utilitarian tasks,which larger and more helos like the Dhruv would be more expensive to acquire and operate.In addition,the naval variant of Dhruv was a failure and it cannot serve the IN's purpose.From the reports below,one can see that stop-gap measures have already been applied,but they do not solve the problem of acquiring a new-gen type that fits the bill.
Now just look at the chronology.The RFP for the 197 light helos was issued way back in 2003! 10 years ago.In 2007 it appeared that a decision would be made but it was derailed as usual by def. min. babudom.The IN's RFP for 50+ NUH naval helos to replace the All-3s.Chetaks was issued in 2012.It is scandalous that the babus of the MOD and precious politico bosses ,who consume a vast amount of public money by way of salaries,lifestyle,etc.,cannot take a decision on the subject after 10 years .This is not a case of India developing its own tech/system as is the case with the LCA,Arjun,etc., but merely choosing a firang type to be also licence-built in India.If we could take a swift decision-by Indian standards with the basic trainer-the Pilatus,why is there such a delay with the LUH?
Here are some excerpts reports.
A procurement manager with the Indian navy indicates that the NUH has to meld several roles into one modern new platform, after the indigenous naval ALH Dhruv failed to deliver a light, multirole shipborne platform with an ASW capability. Indeed, with the navy's growing anti-piracy responsibilities in the Indian Ocean region, the NUH is the latest in a raft of acquisitions pointed at asymmetric engagement at sea.
Contenders include Eurocopter's AS565 Panther, Sikorsky's S-76B, and a maritime version of AgustaWestland's AW109 Koala. Bell and Russian Helicopters could also field bids. The navy stipulates that it wants a wheeled helicopter with an all-up weight that does not exceed 4.5 metric tons, powered by twin turboshaft engines with an electronic engine-control mechanism. The service wants the NUH, planned for induction in 2016, to be capable of deploying at least one lightweight ASW torpedo or two depth charges, with the ability to mount 12.7-mm machine guns or rocket launchers on either side.
Eurocopter—which is still awaiting a decision on the long-delayed Indian army and air force's 197-aircraft reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter (RSH) contest in which its AS550 C3 Fennec is vying with the Kamov Ka-226T Sergei—will be watching the navy competition closely. After a string of disappointments in the Indian market, EADS will be looking to win anything new that comes up.
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.asp ... 581191.xml
Officials Pessimistic About LUH Prospects
By Asia-Pacific Staff
Source: Aviation Week & Space Technology
May 27, 2013
Credit: Eurocopter
India's long-delayed effort to acquire 197 light reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters for its army and air force is spiraling toward what might be the program's second cancellation.
The billion-dollar deal, a fight between Eurocopter's AS550 C3 Fennec and the Kamov Ka-226T Sergei, has languished without decision since 2010, when field evaluation trials were completed. The helicopter sale has been further derailed by an army-recommended investigation into the role an Indian military officer played in a purported bribery attempt during the first stage of the competition.
Those allegations arose as part of an Italian investigation into the larger scandal involving Finmeccanica, which resulted in the ouster of CEO Giuseppi Orsi. Italian authorities discovered papers suggesting that an Indian military officer had offered to manipulate the specifications and trial process in the light helicopter program to favor AgustaWestland, which had been a contender at the time. The company's AW109 was eliminated from the competition on technical grounds shortly after the purported offer was made.
A senior Indian defense ministry source confirms that the Defense Acquisition Council, headed by Defense Minister A.K. Antony, will not move forward on the light helicopter program until inquiries into corruption charges by the officer are complete.
In March, Antony told the Indian parliament that “no formal inquiry has been instituted in the case of procurement of the 197 Light Utility Helicopters.” The statement was nuanced, though. Government agencies are investigating corruption charges against the Indian officer but not the helicopter deal itself.
The episode is the latest in a line of difficulties for the program. In 2007, the first time the competition was aborted, Eurocopter had won, but the program was scrapped in the final stage following allegations of non-compliance—a major blow to Eurocopter.
Now, the possibility of a second program kill has Eurocopter managers in India anxious to the extreme.
The “delay in the procurement program for reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters has become a serious cause of concern for Eurocopter,” wrote Rainer Farid, vice president for sales and customer relations in India and South Asia in an April 3 letter to India's director general of acquisitions. “Since issue of the current [request for proposals], till date four years has elapsed, and the validity of the commercial quotes has already been extended six times.”
Kamov declined requests for comment on the program, but an official at Russian Helicopters in New Delhi described a sense of confusion about how to proceed.
“It does not look good. The government hasn't answered questions sent by us. The signal appears to be, step back, this isn't happening,” the official said. “We are currently weighing our options under the Defense Procurement Procedure. There is a total absence of clarity on the way forward.”
Industry worries appear to be shared within the Indian government. Defense ministry officials remain grim about the program's future.
“It isn't formally over. But it seems unlikely it will come up for a decision any time soon,” says a senior defense ministry acquisitions officer. “The entire deal will have to be reexamined, perhaps from scratch.”
The possibility of ending the procurement a second time is a bitter blow for the army and air force, both of which have desperately sought new-build helicopters for operations from high-altitude bases since 2004.
Their fleets of light utility Cheetah/Alouette-IIs and Chetak/Alouette-IIIs are too old to be reliable. In February, the army concluded a $76 million deal for 20 Cheetals—up-engined versions of the Cheetah/Alouette-II that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) builds under license—as a stopgap, anticipating delays in the light helicopter deal.
HAL's own light utility helicopter program is delayed but making progress. The program looks to meet a requirement of 185 helicopters for the army, air force and navy. After a protracted effort, the company has finally chosen the Turbomeca Ardiden 1U turboshaft engine. Urged to speed the program, HAL has committed to a first flight in 2015, and final operational clearance in 2017.
Separately, the navy will shortly release a request for proposals to service a requirement of 56 light naval utility helicopters. Fighting against a potential blacklist in the VVIP helicopter bribery scandal, AgustaWestland has pitched its AW109 and is likely to compete with the Sikorsky S-76D, Bell 429 and Eurocopter AS565 Panther.
