NEW DELHI — The Indian navy is scouting for military helicopters to succeed its anti-submarine and troop-carrying Sea King and airborne early warning Kamov helicopters. The initial process began with a request for information that was released a couple of months back, Indian navy spokesman Commander P. Satish tells Aviation Week. The navy also is planning to refurbish its current fleet of Sea Kings and Kamovs. “The Indian navy’s fleet of helicopters is relatively old; hence it is due for [upgrading] and replacement,” Satish says.

A Beechcraft 1900D aircraft operated by Nepal’s Buddha Air crashed in the Kathmandu Valley on Sept. 25, killing all 19 people on board. Flight BHA-103 lost contact with the Tribhuvan International Airport tower in the capital of Kathmandu at 7:31 a.m. local time, soon after it had made a flight around Mount Everest. It crashed 4 min. later about 15 km (9.5 mi.) south of the airfield, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). The twin turboprop plane was broken into pieces, and the rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather.

NEW DELHI — India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile on Sept. 26. The medium-range missile, with a flight duration of 483 sec. and reaching a peak altitude of 43.5 km (27 mi.), has the capability to carry a 500-kg (1,100-lb.) warhead. The test of the missile, which has a maximum range of 350 km, was part of a user trial by the Indian armed forces, defense ministry officials said.