India to produce French HAMMER missiles locally under defense push
What's the story
India is set to bolster its defense capabilities with the upcoming signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint production of Hammer missiles. The deal will be finalized during French President Emmanuel Macron's three-day official visit to India. The Hammer missile, or Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range, is a smart-guided munition developed by France's Safran Electronics & Defense.
Weapon details
Hammer missile system
The Hammer missile isn't a standalone projectile but a kit that converts standard unguided bomb bodies into smart precision-guided munitions. It consists of two main components: a nose-mounted guidance section for navigation and targeting, and a tail-mounted range extension kit with a solid-fuel rocket booster and maneuverable winglets. The system can hit stationary or moving targets with high precision over distances of up to 70km.
Operational effectiveness
The system's high accuracy and modular design
The Hammer weapon system is known for its high accuracy and modular design, making it adaptable for multiple platforms. It can be used for both close air support (CAS) and deep-strike operations. The system's controlled-angle-of-impact capability allows for optimized glancing or penetrating strikes. Despite its capabilities, the Hammer was not included in the 2016 contract for 36 Rafale fighter jets due to cost considerations.
Strategic use
Operation Sindoor last May
The effectiveness of the Hammer weapon system was demonstrated during Operation Sindoor last May, in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. The operation targeted 21 terror camps across nine locations. The Hammer system was one of the many weapons used by India during this operation, successfully targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba's headquarters.
Production partnership
MoU between Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics and Defense
The MoU between Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics and Defense (SED) will establish a private limited company for the indigenous production of Hammer missiles. The facility, likely to be located in Pune, will act as a "Center of Excellence," technology and teaming partner for manufacturing, supplying, maintaining and repairing the Guidance Kit (GK) of the Hammer weapon system.