Govt orders purchase of 2 choppers

The government has ordered buying of two modern helicopters for Bangladesh Air Force to carry out search and rescue (SAR) operations and other utility missions in the Bay of Bengal.
The move has been made to establish country's right over the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone and territorial rights in the Bay.
Several senior air force officials confirmed the purchase decision, but could not say anything about the price of the choppers.
The government has planned modernisation of the armed forces with sophisticated equipment to secure its new maritime area and explore natural resources there. It has already bought two maritime patrol aircraft and two choppers for Bangladesh Navy.
The defence ministry has recently signed a contract with Italian company Finmeccanica–AgustaWestland for buying the two helicopters.
The AW139 intermediate twin-engine choppers will be supplied by the end of next year. It would be the country's first dedicated maritime SAR helicopter fleet, said the company in a release on Monday.
As per the contract, the Italian firm would provide comprehensive support and training to air force officials for operating the copters.   
With the inclusion of the two choppers, the BAF will be able to carry out all-weather SAR operations in a maritime environment and will benefit from the high role versatility of the helicopters to conduct other utility missions in support of maritime security and disaster relief operations, added the release.
“Our surveillance capability in the Bay will be boosted several times more than the present strength with the commissioning of the new helicopters,” said a senior air force official on condition of anonymity.
The international arbitral tribunal in a landmark judgment on July 8 upheld Bangladesh's claim of 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone and its territorial rights in the Bay.
The court awarded Bangladesh 19,467 sq km area out of the disputed 25,602 sq km with India.