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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/iaf-gets-two-aw-101-choppers-rest-ten-likely-by-mid-2013/articleshow/17745962.cms

IAF gets two AW 101 choppers, rest ten likely by mid-2013

24 Dec, 2012

Against the backdrop of bribery allegations, the Indian Air Force has received the first two of the 12 three-engined AW 101 helicopters, procured at the cost of Rs 3,550 crore for ferrying VVIPs like the President and the Prime Minister, at the Palam air base here.

India had signed a Rs 3,550 crore deal in 2010 with the Anglo-Italian firm Agusta Westland for buying 12 of these three-engined choppers.

The first AW 101 arrived at the Palam air base on December 20 while the second one was delivered on December 22. The delivery of all the 12 choppers is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, IAF sources said.

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sabya99 · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:18 am Post subject:

It looks like SeaKing choppers. Hopefully it will be a stable platform for our politicians.
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747-237 · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 11:05 am Post subject:

VVIP copter deal to be scrapped if charges proved: Antony

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/VVIP-copter-deal-to-be-scrapped-if-charges-proved-Antony/articleshow/18478132.cms

747-237 · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 7:13 pm Post subject:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-to-scrap-Rs-3546-crore-Finmeccanica-chopper-deal/articleshow/18515844.cms

Govt to scrap Rs 3,546 crore Finmeccanica chopper deal

Feb 15, 2013

The Rs 3,546 crore deal for 12 AgustaWestland AW-101 helicopters is going to be scrapped.

The defence ministry (MoD) on Friday initiated action for cancellation of the contract inked in February 2010. It issued a formal show-cause notice to the UK-based subsidiary of Finmeccanica to explain within a week why the contract should not be cancelled.

shivendrashukla · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:26 pm Post subject:

Really unfortunate. Those who are aware of the defence procurement knows that all matters related to financing of the deal takes place at MoD and Finance ministry, yet our defence forces suffers due to inept politicians and bureaucrats.

747-237 · Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:38 am Post subject:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vvips-grounded-india-set-to-cancel-chopper-deal/article1-1139066.aspx

This will be the first instance of a contract being cancelled after deliveries had begun - raising a question mark on the fate of three AW-101 choppers already parked in IAF hangars. The choppers could be returned.

As reported by HT on February 16, the IAF is considering going back to Russia to acquire new VVIP fleet to replace its ageing Mi-8 choppers.

A fresh global tender may not be floated as this could delay the process by seven to eight years.

All military purchases have to be made through competitive bidding. However, switching to a new vendor, Russia in this case, would not require tendering as this would be considered a “follow-on” order since India has already booked 139 Mi-17 V5 choppers. That order may be expanded and the new choppers could be upgraded for VVIP use.

jabeen100 · Member Joined: 23 Dec 2013 Posts: 14

Inidan Air Force has good decision to get the new helicopters. That will help in battle.

747-237 · Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:51 pm Post subject:

sukritmunjal · Member Joined: 23 Jan 2013 Posts: 178 Location: FMO

747-237 · Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:10 pm Post subject:

The_Goat · Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:02 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:18 pm Post subject:

Three AgustaWestland helicopters delivered to the air force last year have been mothballed and stored away since the cancellation of the contract does not allow any warranty or product support from the company.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/just-eight-ageing-helicopters-for-vvips-air-force-warns-government-478713

Three of the 12 AgustaWestland choppers — bought in a deal worth $770 million — that were meant to fly the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries, have been grounded.

Their removable parts and the machine itself are being packed and stowed away at hangars in Palam and in Hindon near Delhi because the defence ministry cannot decide on their fate and the air force has run out of spares.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140201/jsp/nation/story_17888126.jsp#.UvDEa0ko6M8
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747-237 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 5:02 pm Post subject:

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-deal-scrapped-but-3-agustawestland-choppers-gather-dust-1993286

Deal scrapped, but 3 AgustaWestland choppers gather dust
4 June 2014

Three helicopters that India bought from beleaguered Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland, which were meant to ferry the prime minister and the president, are gathering dust at an air base in New Delhi.

Far from being 'VVIP choppers', the three AW101 helicopters sitting on Palam Technical air base are turning into dead weight with each passing day. For the last six months, their engines have been packed and their especially trained pilots have been deputed to other air bases following the previous UPA government's decision to scrap the Rs 36,000 crore deal over violation of an integrity clause. AgustaWestland is alleged to have paid kickbacks to swing the deal for 12 choppers for India. Following the allegations, the deal was put on hold and was eventually scrapped in January 2014. The ministry of defence had then initiated a process to 'blacklist' the defence giant from doing business with India.

The new BJP-led NDA government is reviewing all pending defence projects, but there is no clarity on what will become of these three choppers, which arrived here in December 2012 as the first batch of the scheduled delivery.

"Though no instructions have come from the government, the pilots have stopped flying the AW101s," said a ministry official on condition of anonymity. "For the past six months, these choppers have been grounded and are mothballing. Their engines have been packed and the flying officers have been transferred to other units."

In July 2012, about a dozen Indian Air Force pilots and flying officers were sent to Britain for four months to learn to fly the AW101. All these flying officers and pilots are now posted at other air bases.

After canceling the deal, the defence ministry has been trying to encash bank guarantees worth over Rs 2,400 crore deposited by AgustaWestland in banks in India and Italy. Recently, an Italian court allowed it to encash over Rs 1,800 crore of the Rs 2,200 crore deposited in guarantees in an Italian bank. The ministry has already encashed guarantees worth over Rs 200 crore from banks in India.

"The deal is heading towards a legal battle. No decision has been taken on what to do with these three choppers that the IAF got. The three choppers are occupying parking space at the air force base. A decision needs to be taken in this regard," said a source.

747-237 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:01 pm Post subject:

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/iaf-plans-to-remodel-choppers-for-vvips/1/365266.html

IAF plans to remodel choppers for VVIPs

June 5, 2014

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is awaiting nod from the government for converting some of its latest Mi-17V5 helicopters into VVIP configuration to ferry the President and Prime Minister.

After the acquisition of AgustaWestland's AW-101 helicopters was blocked over allegations of corruption, the IAF was looking for options for a secured VVIP flying. A call will have to be made soon as the ageing Mi-8s, which are being used in the elite communication squadron, are already on life expansion.

One of the options is to use some of the newly acquired Mi-17V5s, the most advanced military helicopters in service, for flying the VVIPs. A meeting was held with the outgoing PMO functionaries but it remained inconclusive. The IAF has sought another meeting with security officials to discuss the modalities.

Since the Special Protection Group (SPG), which guards the prime minister, is the main stakeholder, their inputs are necessary. Sources said a number of modifications will have to be made in the helicopter to save a dignitary from any possible attack.

The Mi-17V5s are troop and equipment carriers that can also be used in armed role. For flying the VVIPs, it will have to undergo changes like adding a new cabin that not only is comfortable for the VVIP but also secure.

Since modifying the helicopter would be an in-house job, it will have its own limitations as any drastic changes will require help of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

Sources said the help from the OEM may be sought if the work is beyond the scope of internal arrangement.

Some of the basic additions planned is strengthening the outer structure with an armoured plating as a protection against bullets. The cockpit has to be secured with bullet proof glass as the crew could also be the targets. The medical evacuation apparatus will also be fitted along with sensors and communication devices like jammers.

Even the Mi-8s, which are used currently, do not have modern protection suite like advanced navigation aids and anti-missile system. The three-engine AW-101 was purchased with specific role of VVIP protection and was tailor made for the job. The three helicopters were received but they have been mothballed till the resolution of the issue.

Till the time a decision is taken on the dedicated VVIP helicopters, the IAF has to make interim arrangements.

747-237 · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:12 pm Post subject:

The Nigerian Air Force will soon take delivery of two AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters originally intended for the Indian Air Force and will be used for VIP transport duties.

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/10934/Nigerian_Air_Force_To_Get_Two_AW101_Helicopters_Originally_Intended_For_India#.U_X2yknD-M8

747-237 · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:05 am Post subject:

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/vvip-chopper-scam-india-bans-scamtainted-finmeccannica/1282620

VVIP chopper scam: India bans scam-tainted Finmeccannica

Aug 26 2014

India today barred scam-tainted Italian defence firm Finmeccannica from participating in future tenders while deciding to carry out ongoing contracts with the group and its subsidiary AgustaWestland, more than a month after putting all deals on hold.

The Defence Ministry issued an order on how to go about dealing with Finmeccannica and its subsidiaries in the backdrop of allegations of payment of kickbacks to the tune of Rs 360 crore in the Rs 3600 crore VVIP chopper deal which is under investigation.

Defence Ministry officials clarified that this partial lifting of ban on Finmeccannica would not apply to AgustaWestland's Rs 3,600 crore contract to supply 12 VVIP choppers to the Air Force as it has already been scrapped.

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747-237 · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:05 am Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:19 am Post subject:

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/13499/Mi_17V5_Helicopters_to_Continue_as_Indian_VVIP_Transport#.Va6gXEnD-M8

Mi-17V5 Helicopters to Continue as Indian VVIP Transport

July 19, 2015

India will continue using six Mi-17v5 helicopters for VVIP travel as the possibility of reviving the AgustaWestland chopper deal looks remote.

With two helicopters mothballed and further deliveries effectively cancelled as India has claimed its bank guarantee, the deal with AgustaWestland seems as good as dead.

At the time of the AgustaWestland deal’s suspension, the IAF had said that utilizing the Mi-17V5 was a temporary measure. However, now it seems that the Russian Chooppers will continue to ferry VVIPs for a long time to come.

Given that the original order to Agustawestland was for 12 machines, there is the possibility of more Mi-17V5 committed to VVIP usage. However, while the Indian Air Force provides the crew and maintains the VVIP choppers, its usage is decided by the Cabinet Secretariat, which will take a call on whether order more Mi-17V5s or go in for a fresh global tender, sources said.

The modifications to the Mi-17V5 include armour plating to protect the choppers from small arms fire and changes to the internal configuration to suit VVIP comfort.

Following the unexpected Indian decision to convert some of their Mi-17V5 machines to VVIP configuration, Russian Helicopters has been proposing these machines for VVIP usage to some of their international customers.
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The_Goat · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:46 pm Post subject:

Man, how this hit the fan eh?

More skeletons tumbling out of Senorita's closets.

I hope the truth comes out, and the whole thing doesn't get lost in a lot of media cacophony
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:47 pm Post subject:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/three-agusta-choppers-still-parked-in-iaf-hangars-in-delhi/story-CPhqayxa8PGFnhrF3GVOYP.html

Three AgustaWestland choppers still parked in IAF hangars in Delhi

Dec 05, 2018

The extradition of Christian James Michel, 57, the British businessman accused of bribery in the AgustaWestland helicopter deal, to India has again turned the spotlight on the now-scrapped Rs 3,727-crore contract for 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The chopper deal was inked in February 2010 and by the time it was scrapped four years later, three helicopters had already been delivered.

The three unused choppers are still parked in the IAF’s hangars in New Delhi’s Palam base, two officials said on condition of anonymity. An IAF spokesperson on Wednesday declined to comment on what the IAF was planning to do with the choppers.

The three helicopters were added to the IAF fleet between December 2012 and January 2013, but none of them were ever used for flying dignitaries, the officials said. The IAF currently flies VVIPS like the President, Prime Minister and Vice President in modified Russian-origin Mi-17 helicopters.
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