Army to get cutting edge attack copters, six Apache AH-64E to join the force

Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council on Thursday cleared a proposal to buy six Apache attack helicopters for the Indian Army.

The AH-64E Apache, considered to be one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, will come with associated equipment including spares, training and ammunition.

The cost for the same would be around Rs 4,168 crore.

The Army has long pitched for its own dedicated fleet of attack helicopters.

As of now, India operates a mix of Russian Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters. They are with the Indian Air Force.

The AH-64 Apache is an American four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter and has a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew.

It is equipped with a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and has a major systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

Plus, the chopper has all-weather and night fighting features and stealth characteristics, among many other characteristics.

The helicopter is also the main attack helicopter of countries like Greece, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates

In September last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had cleared a deal, valued to be over USD 2.5 billion and pending since 2013, for 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing.

American companies have over the last decade bagged defence contracts from India worth around USD 10 billion, including for aircraft like P-8I maritime surveillance planes, C-130J 'Super Hercules' and C-17 Globemaster-III in the transport category.

The DAC also cleared a proposal to buy two sets of gas turbines from Ukraine for two Grigorovich class ships being built in Russia for India.

The gas turbines will be bought by India from Ukraine due to the ongoing tension between the two nations - Russia and Ukraine.

Their cost is Rs 490 crore.

(With Agency inputs)