The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) is prepared to move quickly if India chooses a Boeing [BA]-U.S. Army proposal for its next generation of attack helicopters–a foreign military sale potentially valued at $1.4 billion.
India has requested proposals from several foreign suppliers, including the United States, to provide the next generation attack helicopter for the Indian air force, and has yet to select a winner.
DSCA notified Congress Dec. 22 of a possible sale to India of engines, equipment, weapons, training, parts and logistical support for a possible Direct Commercial Sale of 22 AH-64D Block III Apache helicopters.
DSCA is notifying Congress ahead of India’s selection of a next-generation attack helicopter supplier so that if the Boeing-U.S. Army proposal is selected, the United States might move as quickly as possible to implement the sale.
If India does choose the Boeing-U.S. Army proposal, it will request a possible sale of 50 T700-GE-701D engines, 12 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars, 12 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 812 AGM-114L-3 Hellfire Longbow missiles, 542 AGM-114R-3 Hellfire II missiles, 245 Stinger Block I-92H missiles, and 23 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensors.
The potential sale would also include rockets, training and dummy missiles, 30mm ammunition, transponders, simulators, global positioning system/inertial navigation systems, and communication equipment. Also included would be spare and repair parts; tools and test equipment, support equipment, repair and return support, personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documentation, U.S. government and contractor engineering and logistics support services; and other logistics support. These items would be provided in conjunction with a proposed direct commercial sale of 22 AH-64D Block III Apache helicopters.
DSCA said the proposed sale in support of AH-64D helicopters would improve India’s ability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats. Support for the AH-64D would provide an incremental increase in India’s defensive capability to counter ground-armored threats and modernize its armed forces.
The prime contractors would be Lockheed Martin [LMT]; General Electric [GE]; Longbow Limited Liability Corp.; and Raytheon [RTN].
Implementation of this proposed sale would require the assignment of one U.S. government and seven contractor representatives to India for one week to conduct a detailed discussion of the various aspects of the hybrid program with Government of India representatives, DSCA said.