Eurocopter opts out of race to supply attack helicopters

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) European aviation major
Eurocopter has opted out of the race for supplying 22 attack
helicopters to the Indian Air Force, leaving contenders from
the United States, Russia and Italy in the fray.

Eurocopter has conveyed to the Defence Ministry that its
Tiger attack helicopters are undergoing upgrades and would not
be able to participate in the field trials, which the IAF is
planning to hold in mid-2010, sources told PTI here.
The company apprised the Ministry of its decision on
October 20 -- the last date for submitting the response to the
global tender released in May this year, they added.
With the exit of Eurocopter, only Boeing with its AH-64D
Apache, Agusta Westland with its AW-149 and Russian
helicopter manufacturer Mil are left behind in the race,
sources said.
IAF's plans to acquire the combat choppers for replacing
and augmenting its fleet of Russian-built attack helicopters
have been marred by exits and the tender has already been
issued twice.
In the first tender issued in June last year, American
companies Bell and Boeing had backed out of the race. Boeing
was reportedly not comfortable with the 50 per cent offsets
commitments required in the tender and Bell did not
participate as its choppers were available only through the
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. (MORE) PTI AJD
ANU


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