The Defence Ministry on Monday cleared a proposal to procure 56 transport aircraft, at an estimated price of Rs. 12,000 crore for the Air Force to replace the ageing Avro planes.
At a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, the proposal to issue a global tender was cleared, sources in the Ministry said.
The first 16 aircraft would be procured off-the-shelf from foreign vendors, who would have to partner with a local private or public sector firm.
The next 16 aircraft would have 30 per cent indigenous component and the remaining aircraft would have 60 per cent locally procured and produced items.
The IAF inducted Avro aircraft in the 1960s.
Keywords: Air Force, Avro planes
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IAF inducted Avro aircraft in the 1960s- Not keeping with time and
technology in area of national Defence cause surprises and is
Worrisome.
What is wrong with us ? Avros is more than 60 years old and a vintage. Why is it that
it is only now that there is a discussion on replacing them. No doubt we do not
believe in replacing vintage politicians but for Aircrafts?? Let us now start drawing a
time line. By the time all the procedures and processes and approvals are gone
through, it will be another 5 years and deliveries will then commence by 2020, and
by the time local assembly will start it will possibly be 2025 and by that time the
selected aircraft would be over 20 years old in design, technology etc. Why do we
need to seek local production? Why cannot HAL design a new transport aircraft- Why
can't we think ahead and take timely decisions. Are we condemned to obsolescence -
why is this? Is this inherent to our Democratic process and a paralysis brought about
by our fractured political system? Will we start seeing a participation of the States in
Defence matters also, given the high monetary value of such decisions?
This is another Tatra truck in the making.Why can't the defense
ministry try to setup private enterprise to build aircrafts locally?
Just give the money and stand aside no government bureaucratic
hurdles.Example is Embraer.
Allocating thousands of crores of rupees to get a third rated product
and running behind suppliers for parts.As a Country I don't know where
is India heading with self-sufficiency.
Not a single western country including Russia procures arms and
technology from other nations.AK Anthony all his advisors are very old generation and seems have lost all forward thinking.
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