Bharat SainiLast Updated on June 6, 2018 by Bharat Saini
World Class Guided Weapon Systems Technology for Indian Armed Forces under Make in India initiative has been offered by L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited (L&T MBDA) with a clear objective of indigenously developing, manufacturing and supplying highly advanced missiles and missile systems. L&T MBDA, exhibiting at the Defexpo 2018 at Chennai, has responded to a request for information from the Government of India to make fifth generation anti-tank guided missiles, short range surface-to-air missiles and medium range anti-ship missile systems for India’s Armed Forces.
L&T MBDA, a joint venture between engineering giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Europe’s MBDA which designs and produces missiles and missile systems, were amongst a gathering of defence industry representatives from private and public sector representing some 500 Indian companies and 150 international firms at the Defexpo 2018 from April 11 to 14, 2018 in Chennai at Tiruvidanthal, in Kancheepuram district; with tagline “India: The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub.”
L&T MBDA, the joint venture incorporated on April 05, 2017 as an Indian Company fully complying with India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy norms for a Defence Manufacturing Company in which L&T holds 51% and MBDA holds 49% equity, within one year of its incorporation is preparing to participate in various Make in India category projects and is offering the following missile systems to address Indian Armed Forces’ operational requirements:
- 5th Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM 5) with substantially advanced features vis-à-vis other 3rd and 4thgeneration ATGM missiles. The missile is offered under the Buy: Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) procurement category for the Indian Armed Forces. ATGM 5 made its public debut at Defexpo 2018, where a model of the missile was displayed and its operational advantages demonstrated using a fully functional simulator.
- Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) the latest in surface to air missile technologies under the Buy and Make (Indian) Category for the Naval Surface Platforms’ requirements of the Indian Navy
- Medium Range Anti-Ship Missile System the latest generation anti-ship missile system under the Buy and Make (Indian) Category for the Naval Surface Platforms requirements of the Indian Navy.
MBDA is the only European group capable of designing and producing missiles and missile systems that correspond to the full range of current and future operational needs of the three armed forces (land, sea and air). MBDA, with its Headquarters in Paris, France and parent organisations Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, was formed by a merger of French Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles, Italian Alenia Marconi Systems and British Matra BAe Dynamics in December 2001. In total, the group offers a range of 45 missile systems and countermeasures products already in operational service and more than 15 others currently in development. With a significant presence in five European countries and within the USA, in 2017 MBDA achieved revenue of 3.1 billion euros with an order book of 16.8 billion euros. With more than 90 armed forces customers in the world, MBDA is a world leader in missiles and missile systems.
Loïc Piedevache, India Country Head, MBDA, said, “For over 50 successful years our strategy has been one of true partnership with the Indian Armed Forces and Indian industry. The JV offers the Indian Armed Forces the flexibility of choice regarding the timely acquisition of key operational capabilities, coupled with the optimized means of acquiring and mastering the very latest and most advanced guided weapon systems technology currently available anywhere in the world.”
