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.
