New Delhi: Ministry of Defense on Tuesday in accordance with the initial approval for Military Modernization Projects worth RS 7,965 Crore under the ‘Make In India’ policy, which includes the procurement of 12 mild utility helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for around RS 1,500 Crore .
The Defense Acquisition Board (DAC), chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, also officially canceled the procurement of 13 MK-45 weapons of warship guns and related equipment from the US at around $ 1 billion.
The 127mm Naval Gun System produced by the BAE system will now be replaced by the enhanced Super Rapid Meatress Meat (SRGM) rifle produced by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.
13 Enhanced SRGM weapons will cost around Rs 2,400 Crore.
“Even though the MK-45 weapons system has a much longer range, they are too expensive.
SRGMS provides niche capabilities to attract rapid target maneuvers, using the convenience and guided reach extensions, and will be installed on destroyers and fregat,” said an official.
DAC also agreed to an increase in the middle life of 25 Navy Dornier reconnaissance planes around Rs 2,300 Crore with things and procurement of Lynx U2 fire control systems from Bharat Electronics limited to “improving detection capabilities, tracking and involvement of” warships.
NOD to get 12 light utility helicopters came in the army background, IAF and the Navy really needed 498 helicopters to replace their outdated cheetah and chetaks of their machines, which did not have modern avionics, suffered poor maintenance and covered by height.
Accident level, as reported by TII before.
But the project thing to build 126 such helicopters for the Army and 61 for the IAF have suffered a long delay.
With helicopters who have now undergone trials in high altitude areas such as Siachen and Ladakh, the first of the 12 new helicopters will likely be delivered in August-September next year.
The two old projects were delayed for such a light helicopter had not taken off.
The first is a project along with Russia to produce 200 Choppers KAMOV-226T twin machines for the Army (135) and IAF (65) at a cost of around $ 2 billion.
The second is a “strategic partnership” project to produce 111 armed Naval Utility Choppers, Twin-Engine at a cost of more than Rs 21,000 Crore.