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Despite a process that began nearly a decade ago, the Army has not been able to finalise a replacement for the Advanced Light Helicopter.
After two aborted attempts, a third tender to procure 197 replacement choppers is too pending
While there were miraculously no casualties in the chopper crash on the Siachen glacier Monday, the crash of the first Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in the sector is an urgent wake-up call for modernisation of the Army's aviation wing.
The indigenous ALH was performing the most common duty that Army choppers undertake daily on the tough glacier maintenance of food, medical and equipment supplies to troops who occupy impossible positions along the Saltoro ridge, often above 20,000 feet.
For the past 40 years, this job has been done by the hardy Cheetah helicopters. But with most of these choppers exceeding their airframe life limits, the ALH has been pressed into duty. However the ALH is simply not designed for such extreme missions, which require a specialised and lighter chopper.
Despite a process that began nearly a decade ago, the Army has not been able to finalise a replacement. After two aborted attempts, a third tender to procure 197 replacement choppers is too pending. While the extensive trials ended in 2010, the Defence Ministry is yet to take a call on opening the commercial bids for the tender that has thrown up two possible winners Russia's Kamov 226 and Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec. The replacement seems to be stuck due to corruption allegations against the third contender AgustaWestland.
While the Army has rightly sought a CBI probe, the ministry should not let the matter slow down this much-needed modernisation process, especially as AgustaWestland has already been ejected from the competition.
The need of the hour is to take a call either to select a winner or withdraw the tender. The ministry needs to be held accountable given that the current phase of indecision that has lasted for a year and a half can and sadly will cost lives.
And if the call is to dispose of the tender, serious consideration should be given to involving the Indian private defence sector in the next round. After all, the numbers required, which could well exceed 500, would be more suitable for a 'Make Indian' category contract that a private player can get in collaboration with a global vendor. Defence PSU HAL, which was entrusted in 2009 with a contract for 187 helicopters to replace the Cheetah fleet, has not shown much progress.
After two aborted attempts, a third tender to procure 197 replacement choppers is too pending
While there were miraculously no casualties in the chopper crash on the Siachen glacier Monday, the crash of the first Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in the sector is an urgent wake-up call for modernisation of the Army's aviation wing.
The indigenous ALH was performing the most common duty that Army choppers undertake daily on the tough glacier maintenance of food, medical and equipment supplies to troops who occupy impossible positions along the Saltoro ridge, often above 20,000 feet.
For the past 40 years, this job has been done by the hardy Cheetah helicopters. But with most of these choppers exceeding their airframe life limits, the ALH has been pressed into duty. However the ALH is simply not designed for such extreme missions, which require a specialised and lighter chopper.
Despite a process that began nearly a decade ago, the Army has not been able to finalise a replacement. After two aborted attempts, a third tender to procure 197 replacement choppers is too pending. While the extensive trials ended in 2010, the Defence Ministry is yet to take a call on opening the commercial bids for the tender that has thrown up two possible winners Russia's Kamov 226 and Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec. The replacement seems to be stuck due to corruption allegations against the third contender AgustaWestland.
While the Army has rightly sought a CBI probe, the ministry should not let the matter slow down this much-needed modernisation process, especially as AgustaWestland has already been ejected from the competition.
The need of the hour is to take a call either to select a winner or withdraw the tender. The ministry needs to be held accountable given that the current phase of indecision that has lasted for a year and a half can and sadly will cost lives.
And if the call is to dispose of the tender, serious consideration should be given to involving the Indian private defence sector in the next round. After all, the numbers required, which could well exceed 500, would be more suitable for a 'Make Indian' category contract that a private player can get in collaboration with a global vendor. Defence PSU HAL, which was entrusted in 2009 with a contract for 187 helicopters to replace the Cheetah fleet, has not shown much progress.
