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Govt clears largest defence deal with US
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 24: The government today gave the go-ahead for the biggest defence deal with the US so far, clearing the purchase of six C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft for Special Forces operations at a cost of about Rs 4000 crore. Its learnt that the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the deal which will now be signed by officials soon.
The clearance comes a month ahead of the visit of US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, who will make his first trip to India on February 25-26. US pointsperson on the nuclear deal, outgoing Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns is also looking to visit India next month.
While India recently bought naval vessel USS Trenton, now rechristened as INS Jalashva, for about $50 million, there has been no military aircraft deal with the US in over five decades. The old Fairchild C-119s were the last lot of American military aircraft that India got in the 1950s. Thereafter, Indias transport fleet has largely been made up of Russian aircraft from the Antonov and Ilyushin series.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is known for its ability to land in makeshift airstrips and rugged runways. What is more significant for India is that the aircraft will come in the Special Forces configuration. This would include additional equipment like missile-warning systems, advance radar-warning receivers and counter-measures dispensing systems. This version is believed to be far superior to what is with Pakistan.
The deal has been in the works for a while with the Bush Administration notifying the US Congress last year of Indias request. However, it got stalled with the whole gamut of the Indo-US strategic partnership coming under sharp focus here due to strong Left opposition stemming from its rejection of the nuclear deal.
Its learnt that in the margins of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group that met about a week ago in Washington, Gates even met Indian officials. It may be noted that there are some key defence deals that US will be eyeing from India is coming months:
Defence Acquisition Committee has just given go-ahead to start tendering process for 15 heavy lift choppers Boeing and Sikorsky would be contenders for this.
Re-tendering will take place under the Cheetah Replacement programme for 310 choppers (IAF has added its demand for 115 helicopters to Armys 197) US Bell Helicopters will compete with French Eurocopter and the Russian Kamov on this key deal.
RFP (Request for Proposal) is expected in a fortnight for 22 attack helicopters Boeing, Bell and Sikorsky are all awaiting to participate in this deal.
IAF is going for three Boeing Business Jets for VIPs.
This is all apart from the mega deal for 126 multi-role combat aircraft for which the RFP is now out and major players like Lockheed Martin are in competition. This is expected to be a deal worth about $14 billion.
Clearly, sources said, India has sent the signal to the US that it is not politically strapped on taking decisions for key purchases which are important for the country. The C-130J deal was a government-to-government deal which comes under the US governments category of Foreign Military Sales. Many others, like various helicopter deals and the combat aircraft deal, involve tenders where US companies will have to compete with others.
What the Hercules brings
Will provide India with special operations airlift capability, major deterrent factor, useful in humanitarian missions
Known for ability to land in short, makeshift and rugged airstrips
Configuration includes 8 each of AAR-47 missile-warning systems, radar-warning receivers
About 30 m in length, permissible payload of 20,000 kg
IndianExpress.com :: Govt clears largest defence deal with US
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 24: The government today gave the go-ahead for the biggest defence deal with the US so far, clearing the purchase of six C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft for Special Forces operations at a cost of about Rs 4000 crore. Its learnt that the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the deal which will now be signed by officials soon.
The clearance comes a month ahead of the visit of US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, who will make his first trip to India on February 25-26. US pointsperson on the nuclear deal, outgoing Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns is also looking to visit India next month.
While India recently bought naval vessel USS Trenton, now rechristened as INS Jalashva, for about $50 million, there has been no military aircraft deal with the US in over five decades. The old Fairchild C-119s were the last lot of American military aircraft that India got in the 1950s. Thereafter, Indias transport fleet has largely been made up of Russian aircraft from the Antonov and Ilyushin series.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is known for its ability to land in makeshift airstrips and rugged runways. What is more significant for India is that the aircraft will come in the Special Forces configuration. This would include additional equipment like missile-warning systems, advance radar-warning receivers and counter-measures dispensing systems. This version is believed to be far superior to what is with Pakistan.
The deal has been in the works for a while with the Bush Administration notifying the US Congress last year of Indias request. However, it got stalled with the whole gamut of the Indo-US strategic partnership coming under sharp focus here due to strong Left opposition stemming from its rejection of the nuclear deal.
Its learnt that in the margins of the Indo-US Defence Policy Group that met about a week ago in Washington, Gates even met Indian officials. It may be noted that there are some key defence deals that US will be eyeing from India is coming months:
Defence Acquisition Committee has just given go-ahead to start tendering process for 15 heavy lift choppers Boeing and Sikorsky would be contenders for this.
Re-tendering will take place under the Cheetah Replacement programme for 310 choppers (IAF has added its demand for 115 helicopters to Armys 197) US Bell Helicopters will compete with French Eurocopter and the Russian Kamov on this key deal.
RFP (Request for Proposal) is expected in a fortnight for 22 attack helicopters Boeing, Bell and Sikorsky are all awaiting to participate in this deal.
IAF is going for three Boeing Business Jets for VIPs.
This is all apart from the mega deal for 126 multi-role combat aircraft for which the RFP is now out and major players like Lockheed Martin are in competition. This is expected to be a deal worth about $14 billion.
Clearly, sources said, India has sent the signal to the US that it is not politically strapped on taking decisions for key purchases which are important for the country. The C-130J deal was a government-to-government deal which comes under the US governments category of Foreign Military Sales. Many others, like various helicopter deals and the combat aircraft deal, involve tenders where US companies will have to compete with others.
What the Hercules brings
Will provide India with special operations airlift capability, major deterrent factor, useful in humanitarian missions
Known for ability to land in short, makeshift and rugged airstrips
Configuration includes 8 each of AAR-47 missile-warning systems, radar-warning receivers
About 30 m in length, permissible payload of 20,000 kg
IndianExpress.com :: Govt clears largest defence deal with US
