<p>"The global Request for Proposal (RFP) for procuring these choppers was issued a couple of months ago and companies have been asked to submit their bids by December," a Defence Ministry official told PTI here.<br /><br />The RFP has been sent to three companies - Eurocopter, AgustaWestland and Sikorsky, they said. Eurocopter is planning to field its twin-engined Panther helicopter.<br /><br />According to the RFP, the Coast Guard wants these choppers to be equipped with surveillance devices to carry out search and rescue roles in coastal areas, they said.<br />The procurement is part of Coast Guard's efforts to enhance its capabilities to tackle terrorism and other threats emanating from the sea.<br /><br />Deployment of the choppers on offshore patrol vessels and other large-size ships of the Coast Guard will help in expanding its reach in the maritime zone to locate suspicious boats and other vessels, they said.<br /><br />The choppers will also have light and medium machine guns on board.<br /><br />To revamp the coastal security mechanism post 26/11, the government had sanctioned several fast-track acquisitions of equipment worth thousands of crores rupees, like fast attack craft, patrolling vessels, Dornier surveillance aircraft, helicopters and coastal radars.</p>
<p>"The global Request for Proposal (RFP) for procuring these choppers was issued a couple of months ago and companies have been asked to submit their bids by December," a Defence Ministry official told PTI here.<br /><br />The RFP has been sent to three companies - Eurocopter, AgustaWestland and Sikorsky, they said. Eurocopter is planning to field its twin-engined Panther helicopter.<br /><br />According to the RFP, the Coast Guard wants these choppers to be equipped with surveillance devices to carry out search and rescue roles in coastal areas, they said.<br />The procurement is part of Coast Guard's efforts to enhance its capabilities to tackle terrorism and other threats emanating from the sea.<br /><br />Deployment of the choppers on offshore patrol vessels and other large-size ships of the Coast Guard will help in expanding its reach in the maritime zone to locate suspicious boats and other vessels, they said.<br /><br />The choppers will also have light and medium machine guns on board.<br /><br />To revamp the coastal security mechanism post 26/11, the government had sanctioned several fast-track acquisitions of equipment worth thousands of crores rupees, like fast attack craft, patrolling vessels, Dornier surveillance aircraft, helicopters and coastal radars.</p>