India issues RFI for multi-role naval helicopters

[SpArK]

India issues RFI for multi-role naval helicopters​

India has issued a request for information for a naval multi-role helicopter (NMRH) to complement its existing fleet of Westland Sea King 42 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters.


The RFI calls for helicopters with a maximum all-up weight of between 9t and 12.5t. The NMRH, which will be expected to serve for 30 years, should have the capacity for 10% weight growth throughout its service life without hurting performance.

The navy foresees three primary roles: ASW, anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and special operations. Secondary roles include electronic intelligence, search and rescue (SAR), external cargo carrying, casualty evacuation and combat SAR.

Candidate helicopters must be able to operate from ships as small as the navy's Godavari-class frigates. They also need to be able to fit in shipboard hangars with a length of 15.5m (50.8ft), a width of 5.5m and a height of 5.3m.


"The NMRH should be a contemporary design with modern, reliable and fuel-efficient engines and fully integrated advanced avionics/weapons suite employing the latest concepts for detection, identification, classification of surface and sub-surface targets along with the ability to detect air targets," the RFI said.


It also outlines performance requirements for two variants: one focused on ASW/ASuW and the other for special operations.
For the former variant, India seeks an aircraft that can autonomously locate and destroy submarines, compile an integrated picture of the situation above and below the surface, and operate in all weather conditions.


The special operations variant needs the capability to carry unguided rockets and guns.

Possible candidates for the requirement could include the Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R and NH Industries' NH90. The deal will require a minimum 30% offset obligation under Indian laws.

India issues RFI for multi-role naval helicopters

 

[zsm5stealthbomber]

what happened to the naval bk 117?

 

[Abingdonboy]

what happened to the naval bk 117?

WHAT??? I thought this process had already been going on for a while and technical presentations had been presented to IN and flight demos in US and Europe! Is this just the start??!! Does this mean flight trials, technical evaluations and price negotiations STILL have to happen? There was news the winner was to be signed this year!!!!

What is going on??!!

 

[angeldemon_007]

^^^
Its BS....I mean after so many years they are still asking for information ??/ I mean do they really want to induct them or not ? US offered SH60 which is the latest and operated by US navy and is actually the best but because of MOD's smugness we refused. Funny thing is after testing SH60 will win over NH90 but still....

 

[Archie]

Since airforce and Armies Helicopter contracts for attack , Heavy lift and Utility choppers are comming to finish
it was expected that naval helicopter contract would be announced
knowing the fact that RFI is only followed by RFP a yr later and a deal is signed after another 18 - 24 months , we should be looking at induction in 2015-16 , when our current Seaking fleet is over 30 yrs old

Also navy had issued RFI for LUH , a few months back
I expect this deal to happen quickly as navy will pic the sea going version of the winner of IAF-ARMY joint LUH Tender
since even today Army,IAF and navy operate the same LUH

 

[madooxno9]

lol what's going on.......still they are stuck to INFORMATION COUNTER

 

[angeldemon_007]

I expect this deal to happen quickly as navy will pic the sea going version of the winner of IAF-ARMY joint LUH Tender
since even today Army,IAF and navy operate the same LUH

Well its true that all the services operates same version of LUH at the moment but its not true that IN will select the same. The naval versions are complicated any shortcoming in any of the chopper like landing gears and all can be fatal. Its true that most probably you are right that In will select the same but they will at first test the chopper and if naval version is unfit for operation or what they want they will reject it just like they rejected Dhruv because some of its features were not upto the mark....

 

[SpArK]

Both Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R and NH Industries' NH90 looks good

 

[jha]

MH60R is better imo..NH90 has some problems...

 

[sancho]

Crossposting from IDF:

Sikorsky has some JV with Indian companies, so its high likely that they may win.
But i liked the look of NH90 more.

TATA builds the cabin of the S92 in India and there were some reports that the Black Hawk could be completely build in India itself, which obviously would benefit the Sea Hawk offer.

But there is something strange about the report:

Candidate helicopters must be able to operate from ships as small as the navy's Godavari-class frigates. They also need to be able to fit in shipboard hangars with a length of 15.5m (50.8ft), a width of 5.5m and a height of 5.3m.

Sea Hawk

Length: 64 ft 8 in (19.75 m)

Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


NH90

Length: 16.13 m (52 ft 11 in)

NHIndustries NH90 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


HAL Dhruv

Length 15.87 meters


So if the report would be true, both helicopter (an even the Dhruv) wouldn't fit in those hangars!
Also older reports said, that the AW 101 Merlin and the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone would be in the competition as well, but they are even bigger!


Personally, I don't understand why HAL is not offering a bigger version of the naval Dhruv:

AFAIK all IN complained at the Dhruv was the range, but extending the cabine size, adding additional fuel tanks and fitting a new engine shouldn't be a big problem and easier than developing a completely new medium class helicopter. Not to forget that the Dhruv is already available in an ASW version and dropped torpedos.

 

[angeldemon_007]

Hey guys, i noted a slight discrepancy in this rfi and i am happy to tell you guys that this is a separate tender.....That 16 multi-role helicopters tender is different and might be signed this or next year. Read this article...

Indian Navy to procure new multi-role helicopters - Brahmand.com

 

[saumyasupratik]

Crossposting from IDF:



TATA builds the cabin of the S92 in India and there were some reports that the Black Hawk could be completely build in India itself, which obviously would benefit the Sea Hawk offer.

But there is something strange about the report:



Sea Hawk

Length: 64 ft 8 in (19.75 m)

Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


NH90

Length: 16.13 m (52 ft 11 in)

NHIndustries NH90 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


HAL Dhruv

Length 15.87 meters


So if the report would be true, both helicopter (an even the Dhruv) wouldn't fit in those hangars!
Also older reports said, that the AW 101 Merlin and the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone would be in the competition as well, but they are even bigger!


Personally, I don't understand why HAL is not offering a bigger version of the naval Dhruv:

AFAIK all IN complained at the Dhruv was the range, but extending the cabine size, adding additional fuel tanks and fitting a new engine shouldn't be a big problem and easier than developing a completely new medium class helicopter. Not to forget that the Dhruv is already available in an ASW version and dropped torpedos.

Strange is the fact that even the Ka-27's that the Navy uses widely are 15.8 Metres in length and the Westland Sea Kings/UH-3's are also more than 16 Metres.

Maybe they are looking for something like the Eurocopter Panther?

 

[Mo12]

India can make helicopters, why buy them?

 

[Abingdonboy]

Posted On: Jun 20, 2011

The NH-90 naval helicopter is competing for the Navy's 16 MRHs under a separate tender.
NEW DELHI (PTI): Augmenting its fleet of multi role helicopters, the Navy is looking to procure more such choppers for carrying out anti-submarine warfare and Special Forces' operations.

In a Request for Information (RFI) issued recently, the Navy has said it intends to procure new Naval Multi Role Helicopters (NMRH) for anti-submarine, anti-surface and Special Commando operations roles.

Interestingly, the Navy has shown its intent to procure these choppers at a time when it is already planning to start the trials for buying 16 MRHs from the two contenders Sikorsky S-70B and European NH-90 next month under a separate tender.

Navy officials told PTI that the earlier tender process will continue and the trials would be carried out as per the original schedule.

In its requirement for the next batch of helicopters, the navy stated that the basic chopper for performing all the specified roles should be same with common airframe, engines, avionics and it should be capable of changing roles with ease.

"The NMRH should be of contemporary design with modern, reliable and fuel efficient engines and fully integrated advanced avionics and weapons suite employing the latest concepts for detection, identification, classification of surface and subsurface targets along with the ability to detect air targets," it said in the RFI document.

The Navy also wants the chopper to have the air to air refuelling capability for enhanced endurance and reach.

The vendors taking part in the contract will also be required to invest back at least 30 per cent of the worth of the contract as offsets into the Indian defence, civilian aerospace or the homeland security sectors.

Possible contenders for the deal include NH-90, Sikorsky and Lockheed martin's MH-60 Romeo, which was not selected for the early tender as it was being offered through the Foreign Military Sales route.

The navy at present relies on its fleet of Sea King helicopters which were inducted in tow different phases in the 80s.

This getting really complicated- an Indian defence procurement speciality! So what is the TOTAL number of helos to be procured by IN? and will it be one sole model ie MH-60 or could we have possibility of TWO different models in the same fleet? And per the bolded part (^^^) what platform will be refuelling them? Il-78? I wouldn't have thought they could slow down to refeul helos. Is IN looking at buying their own refuellers like KC-130s? All very complex.

 

[DacterSaab]

could it be that the 15.5m hanger space is to be used by choppers that have folding tails?