Israel Aerospace Industries has delivered the first long-range surface-to-air (LRSAM) missile manufactured in India at a ceremony in Hyderabad on 27th August.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has delivered the first long-range surface-to-air (LRSAM) missile manufactured in India. The missile was handed over to India's Minister of Defence, Arun Jaitley, at a ceremony in Hyderabad on 27th August. The missile is part of the LRSAM air & missile defense programme of India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and IAI, which will equip recently completed destroyers and frigates of the Indian Navy.
The local manufacturing of LRSAM is part of India's "Make in India" initiative. IAI and RAFAEL from Israel together with Baharat Dynamic (BDL) from India have established production lines, in India, for the LRSAM programme. The local production line is provided with Israeli-made assembles which are integrated with Indian-made assemblies into an operational missile.
LRSAM is an advanced air and missile defense system jointly developed by IAI and DRDO in collaboration with IAI subsidiary ELTA, RAFAEL and various Indian companies. The system provides protection against a variety of aerial, naval and airborne threats and is operational with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Israel Defense Forces and, in the near future, with the Indian Army.
The event follows a number of Indian missile deals announced by IAI in recent months, including a $630m LRSAM contract signed in May and $2bn in contracts announced in April, including $1.6bn for the medium-range surface to air missile (MRSAM) system to be deployed by the Indian Army.