Armed forces to induct 800 choppers in next few years

Supersonic fighter jets may grab all the eyeballs. But it's also raining helicopters for armed forces, who want to induct as many as 800 "rotary-wing birds" over the next few years at a cost of well over Rs 20,000 crore.

Yet another helicopter deal was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security on Tuesday evening, with the around Rs 950 crore acquisition of five Russian Kamov-31 early-warning helicopters getting the final nod, said sources.

The contract for Ka-31s, which will bolster Navy's long-range capability to detect airborne and surface ship threats, is to be inked in a month or so.

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