European aviation major Airbus has chosen Goa to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for the EC-725 helicopter, provided it wins the
over Rs 2,000-crore Coast Guard contract for which it has pitched.
The facility, close to the Indian Coast Guard's main centre of operations, is
planned as part of Airbus' offer to equip the Indian Coast Guard with 14 EC725
for its Twin Engine Heavy Helicopter (TEHH) requirement and the foreseeable
future needs for a helicopter of this category by the Indian armed forces,
according to industry sources.
Asked about their plans, Airbus in a statement said: "We
cannot comment on the location of the MRO for the EC725 but it is true
that such a facility is envisaged as part of our
offer to supply 14 EC725 to the Indian Coast Guard. All 14 EC725 will be
integrated and flight-tested at this site."
The Coast Guard had first raised the requirement
post 26/11 which exposed the loopholes in its surveillance and interception
capabilities.
The force currently uses ageing Chetaks as well
as indigenous Advanced Light Choppers (ALH) for patrolling, search and rescue
and casualty evacuation.
The competition was between the EC725 and the
now part of Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky's S 92 chopper.
The Airbus has emerged as the lowest
bidder and has been in talks with the Coast Guard for over an year.
Sources said the MRO will enable a comprehensive
Performance-Based Logistic (PBL) support service that Airbus is offering to the Indian Coast
Guard to ensure maximum fleet availability of its EC 725.
The PBL service covers the complete aircraft -
'nose to tail' - including the Safran engines.
While Goa will serve as the main
location, infrastructure will be created and maintained at four other Coast
Guard bases across India to deliver the service, the sources said.
The MRO activities would include the
scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activities which come within the ambit of
intermediate and depot-level maintenance also known as 2nd and 3rd/4th level of
maintenance.
Sources said the green field facility would pave the way for an
inflow of new military helicopter maintenance technologies and skill sets in
addition to the creation of expert jobs in India.
This would happen via transfer of engineering
work, technical knowhow, training and setting-up of a logistics support and
warehousing system by Airbus Helicopters in India.
Over 140 EC725 (now marketed globally as the
H225M) have been ordered so far by France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Thailand, Kuwait, and Singapore. 80 aircraft are currently in service.
Source :- Business Standard
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