Indian Navy to Induct American Seaking Choppers

For the first time, Indian Navy would induct US-made helicopters with the government giving the go-ahead for purchase of six Sikorsky-Seaking choppers.

The six helicopters are part of the package deal for the purchase of the Landing ship tank USS Trenton, from which the choppers operate.

While, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had cleared the purchase of Trenton at a cost of Rs 200 crores, the sale of helicopters was being negotiated.

"The government has now cleared the proposal and the utility, search and resuce helicopters will be delivered along with Trenton by February 2007," the new Naval chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta told PTI today.

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