Boeing is upbeat about military sales to India. Coming close on the heels of the $4.1 billion contract (India’s largest single defence deal) to sell 10 C-17 transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), the American company has also recently been declared the winner in competitions to supply both heavy lift and heavy duty attack helicopters.
According to Dennis Swanson, Vice President, International Business Development, Boeing Defence, Space & Security, commercial negotiations are on with the Ministry of Defence for both the helicopter programmes. While the heavy lift helicopter contract is for the delivery of 15, CH-47 Chinooks and is estimated to be worth just over $1 billion, the deal for the 22Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters is reported to be $1.3 billion.
Also, while the Chinooks will be a direct commercial sale (DCS) between MoD and Boeing, the Apache proposal includes both a direct commercial sale component and a foreign military sales (with the US government) component (FMS). The FMS contract for the Apache includes munitions, training, aircraft certification, and components including engines, EO sensors and the fire control.
Giving details of the AH-64D Apache programme, the spokesperson said that India was getting the latest upgraded version (block III) of the helicopter, a platform which has so far been delivered only to the US Army. Reliable sources pointed out that India will become the second international customer of the Apache Block III after Taiwan. The Apache was declared the winner over the Russian Mi-28 helicopter.
Boeing beat an advanced version of the Russian Mi-26 helicopter in the heavy lift helicopter category after both platforms were put through field evaluation trials in both desert and high-altitude terrain. In the proposal initiated by IAF, the Chinook emerged as the L1 Vendor. This will be a DCS contract between MoD and Boeing.
The Chinooks will replace India’s existing Mi-26 fleet, most of which was acquired in the 1980s, but mostly grounded for want of spares.
The Chinooks are capable of carrying more than 45 fully equipped troops.