Aero India 2011 News

Eurocopter’s AS550 C3 Fennec helicopter will make its Indian public debut at this month’s Aero India 2011 exhibition in Bangalore, showcasing the candidate for India’s acquisition of new rotary-wing aircraft in reconnaissance and surveillance missions.
The AS550 C3 Fennec recently completed field trials with full mission equipment for the Indian Armed Forces’ reconnaissance and surveillance applications, demonstrating its capabilities as the successor to the country’s existing fleet of Indian-produced Cheetah and Chetak helicopters – both which are based on Eurocopter rotary-wing aircraft.
“We are very happy with the Fennec’s performance during the recent trials, and are confident it is the ideal proposition as the rightful successor to the Cheetah and Chetak,” explained Rainer Farid, the Eurocopter Vice President of Sales for South Asia. “By participating in the key competitive tenders with our best products, we hope to continue to support India in acquiring the right mission equipment and developing a strengthened aerospace industry.” The military-certified and combat-proven AS550 C3 Fennec has exceptional performance at high altitudes and in hot weather conditions. In addition to operating in Chile’s Andes Mountains at altitudes over 5,000 meters, Fennec helicopters have landed on Mount Everest and the Sziachin glacier in the Himalayas. Last month, a Royal Malaysian Navy Fennec assisted in the rescue of a hijacked Malaysian chemical tanker and its crew, firing on the Somali pirates’ mother ship to keep it at bay.
08/02/11 Defenseworld.net