Le Bourget(France), June 20: European helicopter maker Eurocopter has proposed setting up a joint venture company with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to produce its Cougar and Fennec family of military choppers in India. Andreas Loewenstein, deputy executive V-P of Eurocopter, told The Times of India that the EADS group firm will finalise the equity structure and the investment plans for the new joint venture company by this year-end.

Though he stated that the choppers to be built under the JV will complement the Indian partner's existing range, insiders pointed out that the products are being planned as a replacement for the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters in HAL's stables.
"The Cheetah and Chetak were produced with support from Eurocopter — HAL has been for some time looking at a replacement for these choppers. The new military choppers from Eurocopter are likely to be their replacement," the sources added.

Loewensteing, however, said, the Cougar AS 532 and the Fennec helicopters would be produced in India to complement HAL's advanced light helicopter christened Dhruv. Bureau Report