India Scraps Contract With Eurocopter, Plans Re-Bid

As Bell Helicopter executives expected, the Indian government canceled a pending contract with Eurocopter to provide 197 light utility helicopters and plans to re-bid the work. Eurocopter parents EADS has said the contract, which called for about two-thirds of the aircraft to be assembled in India, was worth about $600 million. The requirement to replace the Indian Army’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.-built Chetaks and Cheetahs dates to 2001. Bell had argued, by itself and through diplomatic channels, that it was never informed that its Model 407 bid had been eliminated from the competition or given an explanation why. Eurocopter is offering the AS550C3 Fennec. For related news