Boeing Expects India To Ink Chinook, Apache Deal This Year

India is likely to buy 15 CH-47F Chinook transport and 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters before the end of the year, the Boeing officials were quoted as saying by Shephard.

"We expect that the contract award for the Chinook will come in the first half of the year, and the award for the Apache in the second half of the year," Leanne Caret, Boeing’s VP and GM of vertical-lift, were cited saying at the Singapore Airshow 2014.

Although Indian elections are to be held from 16 April to 13 May, Caret confirmed that she expects both contracts to be signed before the end of the year.

Proposals for the Chinook and Apache helicopters were made respectively in 2009 and 2010, and Caret noted that Boeing had been able to retain the cost of the contact over these four years.

The company is also eyeing Malaysia – which has an attack helicopter requirement with its AH-6 Little Bird offering. But the number of aircraft required and the timeline for acquiring them has not yet been decided, although they have concluded that they have a need for this.  

During the show Boeing and partner Bell Helicopters also pitched their V-22 tiltrotor aircraft to the export market, following a formal request from Israel for six aircraft and an interest shown from Japan for 17 platforms.