India to issue RFP for maritime patrol requirements

India to issue RFP for maritime patrol requirements

India is readying requests for proposals (RFP) for two maritime patrol requirements: the navy's Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft and the coast guard's Medium Maritime Patrol (MMP) aircraft.

Both requirements are likely to be for six aircraft initially, with options for six more, say industry sources. One source said the initial MMP requirement could be for nine aircraft.

The sources spoke to Flightglobal at Defexpo India 2012, where airframers displayed models of maritime patrol aircraft. RFPs for both requirements are expected in 2012, with one source saying the MMP RFP could be issued in April or May. India issued requests for information (RFIs) for both requirements in 2010.

Unlike the navy's long-range maritime patrol aircraft requirement, which will be filled by the Boeing 737-based P-8I Neptune, the RFI suggests India will not require the MRMR to have anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, with the aircraft focused on the maritime patrol mission and capable of carrying anti-ship missiles. It will replace India's 12 Britten-Norman Islanders.

In the 2010 RFI, the navy stated that the MRMR aircraft will require a top speed of 300kt (556km/h) or greater and a patrol speed of 200kt. It will require a full self protection suite, including radar and laser warning receivers, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) surface-search radar and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor.

One possible contender for the requirement could include a variant of the P-8I, although Boeing representatives at the show said they want to see the RFP before deciding how to address the MRMR campaign. They pointed out that a P-8I variant would be make sense from a logistical and crew training perspective given that India has already ordered eight P-8Is for long-range patrol.

Other contenders for the MRMR could include the Saab 2000 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), the Airbus Military C295 MPA, and the Israel Aerospace Industries ELI-3360 (based on the Bombardier Q400). A previously issued RFP for the MRMR was withdrawn in early 2009.

Sources say the MMP requirement is somewhat less well defined. "Based on the RFI, the MMP is a really big beast," says one source from a European airframer.

The RFI called for a diverse range of missions, including search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, environmental monitoring and medical evacuation with three intensive care stations.

"We're not sure if all the capabilities need to be present all the time, or whether they can be changed in or out," says the source.

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