Defence Acquisition Council okays 38 Pilatus aircraft, 12 warships

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 28

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) today okayed the purchase of 38 additional Pilatus basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force and nominated state-run Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to manufacture 12 specialised mine counter-measure vessels (MCMVs) for Rs 32,000 crore.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar chaired the DAC meeting which deferred a decision on purchasing at least 15 US-2i amphibious aircraft from Japan. “More information has been sought,” sources said. These four-engined planes can land and take off from sea.

No decision was taken on the bid by Airbus-Tata consortium to replace the ageing Avro transport aircraft fleet of the Indian Air Force.

On the trainer aircraft for the IAF, the DAC decided exercise the option clause for the deal signed signed in 2012. The original contract for 75 aircraft had the option clause of buying 50 per cent under same terms and conditions for three years -- ending May 2015.

The IAF has so far inducted 59 Pilatus aircraft. The Air Force had calculated a requirement of 181 basic trainer aircraft (BTA) out of which 90 were supposed to be bought off the shelf and 91 made in India.

However, the UPA government decided to go for a 75-aircraft contract in the first phase in 2012 with a 50 per cent follow-on clause -- that would be 38 planes.

"The remaining requirement of the IAF (some 78 planes) will be met by the HAL which will supply its indigenously developed HTT-40. Adequate orders will be given to the HAL to make the development commercially viable," defence sources said.

On the mine-sweeper vessels, the Defence Ministry, in November last year, scrapped the Rs 2,700-crore deal for acquiring two minesweeper ships from a South Korean firm after it was found that there were violations of tender conditions by agents.

The DAC has now nominated GSL to build 12 MCMVs under a project that will cost Rs 32,000 crore, defence sources said. The shipyard has already invested about Rs 500 crore in setting up infrastructure for this order and will tie-up with a foreign firm if needed.

The DAC is the apex decision-making body of the Defence Ministry. It also okayed the purchase of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the Indian Air Force to replace the one which had crashed in March last year, killing five Service personnel, including four officers, near Gwalior.