VVIP chopper scam: Vajpayee's NSA Brajesh Mishra had raised single-vendor query

New Delhi, Feb 14: The late Brajesh Mishra, National Security Adviser to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had in 2003 raised the single vendor query in the VVIP chopper scam.Mishra had then remarked in his letter dated December 22, 2003, to the then IAF chief Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy: "I am concerned that the framing of the mandatory requirements for the new helicopters has effectively led us into a single-vendor situation." "It is unfortunate that neither the PMO nor the Special Protection Group (which provides proximate security to the PM) was consulted while framing these mandatory requirements. I suggest you and the defence secretary may jointly review this matter to draw up realistic mandatory requirements satisfying operational, security and convenience requirements for VVIPs," Mishra's letter says. Mishra was also the principal secretary to Prime Minister Vajpayee. In 1999, IAF had first proposed the replacement for its ageing Russian-origin Mi-8 helicopters, which are still being used by the elite Communication Squadron to ferry around President, PM and other top dignitaries. The tender or the RFP (request for proposal) for eight new VVIP choppers was subsequently issued in 2002. Of the four vendors that responded, only the Eurocopter EC-225 chopper passed muster as far as the requirement for being capable of flying at an "operational ceiling" of 6,000-metre was concerned. The AW-101, then called the EH-101, could not participate since it was not certified at that time to fly at 6,000-metre. With only the EC-225 figuring in the subsequent report submitted to the PMO, Mishra raised the question of the single-vendor situation. The SPG also objected to the cabin height of 1.39-metre, holding it was not adequate for the VVIPs and the armed security personnel who would be on board as well as casualty evacuation. "The cabin height, the SPG said, should be around 1.8-metre," said the source. It was also stressed that the choppers need not be capable of operating over altitudes of 4,500-metre since the VVIPs would rarely, if ever, go to helipads at altitudes of 6,000-metre. These parameters were "frozen" when the fresh RFP was issued for 12 VVIP choppers in September 2006, allowing the three-engine AW-101 helicopters of AgustaWestland to enter the competition for the Rs 3,546-crore Indian contract along with two others. With the Russian manufacturer of Mi-17s not willing to deposit the bank guarantees, the AW-101 helicopters were left to compete with the American Sikorsky's S-92 Superhawks during the extensive field trials held in 2008. "The Sikorsky chopper in the VVIP version, however, failed to meet four technical parameters during the trials," said the source. These included the "drift-down altitude in case of an engine failure" and "the hover out-of-ground effect". Apart from also not having the missile airborne warning system, the S-92 also failed to meet the requirement for the 4,500-metre service ceiling. The AW-101 sailed its way through the trials to bag the contract finally inked in February 2010. Top defence ministry sources say this need to avoid a "single-vendor" situation, in consonance with the laid down norms in India's defence purchases to avoid corruption and other allegations, was the key for subsequent developments. "Money and bribes could have changed hands...the CBI will probe that. But the technical evaluation process was followed meticulously, as per the directives of the PMO. There were no short-cuts, no tweaking to suit a particular company," said a source.