Govt starts process of procuring surveillance helicopters for high altitude areas

New Delhi: The government has begun the process to procure nearly 1,000 surveillance helicopters with accessories capable of operating up to an altitude of 5,500 metres above sea level and both during day and night time, as a Request for Information (RFI) was issued on Wednesday.

The RFI says the surveillance helicopters, along with the accessories, are planned to be procured in the spirit of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ programmes.

"The preferred categorisation for the project as per provisions of Chapter-II of DAP-2020 may be indicated by the vendors with due justification," it adds.

The defence ministry intends to procure an "approximate quantity of 1,000 surveillance copters (high altitude area) with accessories", according to the RFI document.

This RFI is being issued to "finalise SQRs (Service Qualitative Requirements), decide procurement category and identify probable Indian vendors who are capable to supply surveillance copter (HAA) along with accessories".

The first part of the RFI incorporates the intended use of the equipment and the operational requirement that should be met by the surveillance copter with accessories.

The RFI also mentions the terrain conditions under which the "surveillance copters" will be employed primarily in high altitude (up to 5,500 metres), mountainous terrain in India.

The surveillance copters with accessories should be operational by day and night and in commonly encountered weather conditions in all kinds of terrains in the country, the RFI says.

"Surveillance Copter (High Altitude Area) be modular in design, thereby lending itself to future upgrades through simple modifications, not leading to design or structural change. It should also facilitate integration and installation, without impacting the performance of any system/sub-system," it added.

The Indian Army is also planning to procure 50 "heavy crawler rock drill" with the government on Wednesday issuing a draft RFI.

"The RFI intends to achieve aim and objectives as per Paragraphs 2 to 4 of Chapter II of DAP 2020," it said.

The Indian Army deployment in Northern, Eastern and Central Commands comprises inaccessible areas with some of the most difficult and treacherous terrain, the document reads.

"Creating sustainable infrastructure in these areas in the shortest time frame is an inescapable operational necessity. Quick development of suitable lines of communication (L of C) is the most critical element of this aspect," it said.

"A self-propelled heavy-duty crawler-based rock drill with an on-board compressor shall be used extensively for moving and positioning the drill machine to the initial formation site for drilling and road cutting in hard rock strata, powering pneumatic/ hydraulic motors fitted on the rock drill.

"It shall be used for quarry operations and initial road formation cutting by drilling bench holes, toe holes for charging and blasting in mountains," it said.