Apache For India: Diversification or strategy
Back in 2009, India released its tender for acquiring attack helicopter. Its indigenous plan of attack helicopters hasn't run totally smooth. LCH is still in production when the delivery is awaited. Combat in the Kargil War highlighted the requirement of an attack helicopter made for such high altitude operations. This requirement forced India to mull over acquiring attack helicopters. Its tender saw see-saw of processes and arguments of indigenous helicopters. But in 2009, N.K. Antony, with agreement of the parliament, released the RFQ (tender).
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| HAL LCH Attack Helicopter |
The choppers participating in the combat attack contract include
Bell's AH-1 Super Cobra, Boeing's AH-64 Apache, Eurocopter's Tiger,
Russian Mil for Mi-28 N and Augusta Westland's Mangusta. Eventually, Apache 64E turn out to be victorious defeating Mi-28 N, in a tight competition. These Apaches will replace the Indian Air Force's present fleet of Mi-35 Hind-E helicopters.
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The winner and the competition in yellow
Closely competing with each other, Apache 64 and Mi-28 N
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The result was not very much obvious. Definitely for the reason on logical ground that India has been known as biggest Russian arms importer. In this tender too, if integration of existing British/French air to air missile integration and service ceiling, the MI could have won without doubts. Then it comes to the time when we ask if it was a diversification strategy. The MiG-21, notoriously known to India as "flying coffin", could be the reason. Even after upgrading the aging fleet of MiG-21, it is not performing so well to the expectations. The very reason why Bison was not used in Kargil war.
This diversification strategy could be a way of reducing dependency on a single source. India has been irked since Russia shown interest to export Sukhoi-37 to China. And this could be seen in results of not considering SU-37 in MMRCA. Adding to the fact, according to sources, the Boeing Apache AH-64 D was placed above
the Russian Mi-28 N in its staff evaluation report submitted to the
Indian Ministry of Defence. Even the Indian Air Force (IAF) is said to
have marked the Apache AH-64 D consistently over the Russian Mi-28 N
contender in trials held mid-2010 at the desert and mountain air bases
in India, according to sources. The Apache-AH 64 D did have an upper
hand since it was a matured and battle-proven heavy weight gunship. The
Apache AH-64 D can fulfill some specific sniping purposes in air to
ground warfare as well.
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| Mi-28 Havoc - the runner up |
Make in India movement: an unforeseen advantage
India, under government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is very much marketing its "Make in India" policy, welcoming large assembly lines and production houses to India. Boeing, on the visit of Prime Minister Modi, shown its interest in the same. It also discussed how it is mulling over to produce Apache or Chinook in India.
Boeing Chairman Jim McNerney McNerney said: "Large sections of the Chinook fuselage are already manufactured in India and discussions are ongoing with our Indian partners to make Apache parts". "The value to India is a very modern production system integrated to make a very sophisticated machine. That kind of industrial base capability is as important as the fighter itself. These modern manufacturing techniques can go into many different industries", he added.
Boeing Chairman Jim McNerney McNerney said: "Large sections of the Chinook fuselage are already manufactured in India and discussions are ongoing with our Indian partners to make Apache parts". "The value to India is a very modern production system integrated to make a very sophisticated machine. That kind of industrial base capability is as important as the fighter itself. These modern manufacturing techniques can go into many different industries", he added.
Summing up:
Summing up the discussion, be it a strategy or a diversification ploy, choosing Apache is very important and right at the moment. An unbiased review may be required to judge how US is going to make this deal smooth. It has sanctioned arms deal previously after Indian nuclear tests. Judging from the stance, it may not be the same henceforth. Hoping so.Titbits:
A group of Swedish experts, who compared the previous modifications of the Mi-28H and AH64 Apache, said that the US chopper was inferior to the Russian aircraft. The experts came to such a conclusion after the exercise that took place in Sweden in 1995. Three Mi-28A choppers, piloted by Swedish and Russian pilots, produced quite an impression on foreign military men. The helicopters were not detected by the Swedish air defense system and remained unnoticed in the air space of the country for 30 kilometers.
According to experts' estimates, the Russian and the American helicopters are quite comparable, despite the statement from the Indian side. Moreover, foreign experts believe that the Mi-28H was just as good as the AH-64D Apache Longbow. The experts particularly noted the performance of the radar station on board the Russian chopper.
According to experts' estimates, the Russian and the American helicopters are quite comparable, despite the statement from the Indian side. Moreover, foreign experts believe that the Mi-28H was just as good as the AH-64D Apache Longbow. The experts particularly noted the performance of the radar station on board the Russian chopper.
A
group of Swedish experts, who compared the previous modifications of
the Mi-28H and AH64 Apache, said that the US chopper was inferior to the
Russian aircraft. The experts came to such a conclusion after the
exercise that took place in Sweden in 1995. Three Mi-28A choppers,
piloted by Swedish and Russian pilots, produced quite an impression on
foreign military men. The helicopters were not detected by the Swedish
air defense system and remained unnoticed in the air space of the
country for 30 kilometers.
According to experts'
estimates, the Russian and the American helicopters are quite
comparable, despite the statement from the Indian side. Moreover,
foreign experts believe that the Mi-28H was just as good as the AH-64D
Apache Longbow. The experts particularly noted the performance of the
radar station on board the Russian chopper.
- See more at: http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/economics/26-10-2011/119442-india_russia-0/#sthash.pPFCbz1F.dpuf
A
group of Swedish experts, who compared the previous modifications of
the Mi-28H and AH64 Apache, said that the US chopper was inferior to the
Russian aircraft. The experts came to such a conclusion after the
exercise that took place in Sweden in 1995. Three Mi-28A choppers,
piloted by Swedish and Russian pilots, produced quite an impression on
foreign military men. The helicopters were not detected by the Swedish
air defense system and remained unnoticed in the air space of the
country for 30 kilometers.
According to experts'
estimates, the Russian and the American helicopters are quite
comparable, despite the statement from the Indian side. Moreover,
foreign experts believe that the Mi-28H was just as good as the AH-64D
Apache Longbow. The experts particularly noted the performance of the
radar station on board the Russian chopper.
- See more at: http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/economics/26-10-2011/119442-india_russia-0/#sthash.pPFCbz1F.dpuf
A
group of Swedish experts, who compared the previous modifications of
the Mi-28H and AH64 Apache, said that the US chopper was inferior to the
Russian aircraft. The experts came to such a conclusion after the
exercise that took place in Sweden in 1995. Three Mi-28A choppers,
piloted by Swedish and Russian pilots, produced quite an impression on
foreign military men. The helicopters were not detected by the Swedish
air defense system and remained unnoticed in the air space of the
country for 30 kilometers.
According to experts'
estimates, the Russian and the American helicopters are quite
comparable, despite the statement from the Indian side. Moreover,
foreign experts believe that the Mi-28H was just as good as the AH-64D
Apache Longbow. The experts particularly noted the performance of the
radar station on board the Russian chopper.
- See more at: http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/economics/26-10-2011/119442-india_russia-0/#sthash.pPFCbz1F.dpuf
A
group of Swedish experts, who compared the previous modifications of
the Mi-28H and AH64 Apache, said that the US chopper was inferior to the
Russian aircraft. The experts came to such a conclusion after the
exercise that took place in Sweden in 1995. Three Mi-28A choppers,
piloted by Swedish and Russian pilots, produced quite an impression on
foreign military men. The helicopters were not detected by the Swedish
air defense system and remained unnoticed in the air space of the
country for 30 kilometers. - See more at:
http://www.pravdareport.com/russia/economics/26-10-2011/119442-india_russia-0/#sthash.U0MxD4O9.dpuf
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