IAF to acquire 230 choppers

US Army's 14th Cavalry Regiment soldiers prepare to rendezvous with Indian Army troops

after exiting an Mi-17 helicopter flown by the 107th Indian Army Aviation Helicopter Unit.

photo by Crista Yazzie, US Army

TNN, Feb 11, 2011, 04.53am IST

BANGALORE: Modernising its fleet of helicopters, the Indian Air Force on Thursday said it was looking to acquire more than 230 choppers in the near future. Air Chief Marshal P V Naik told reporters at Aero India 2011, that the force is in the process of acquiring helicopters of different types and sizes in the next couple of years. "We are acquiring 12 AW 101 VVIP helicopters, trials for 22 attack choppers are completed, 80 MI-17 IV helicopters are being inducted and 50 odd would be added, trials for 12 heavy-lift choppers are also in the final stage and will be completed soon," he said.