“We were planning to field our AH-1Z Cobra (pictured) for IAF’s Request for Proposal (RFP). But it is still undergoing operational evaluation for the US Marine Corps. So, we have decided not to participate in the competition,” a Bell official said here.
“Our decision to not participate in the tender has been conveyed to the Indian defence ministry by US Embassy officials here,” he added.
The RFP for acquiring the 22 combat helicopters was one of the first tenders to have been released in the UPA government’s second term in May this year.
This is the second time that Bell Helicopters has backed out from participating in the IAF’s combat helicopter acquisition process.
In a similar RFP issued last year in June, Bell didn’t participate, citing its availability only through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) as the tender demanded the choppers be sold through the Direct Commercial Sales route by participating American companies and not through the US government.
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