NEW DELHI: Two important contracts for the procurement of lightweight modular missiles (LMM) and night sights for assault rifles were inked on Wednesday.
The Indian Army (Corps of Army Air Defence) signed a contract with the UK-based Thales for procurement of the LMM system.
The Indian Army in a statement said, "The missile is highly effective against all types of aircrafts, helicopters, UAVs and UCAVs including aerial targets with low IR signature up to a range greater than 6 Kms in all-weather conditions."
LMM is a lightweight and man-portable missile system which can be deployed in operational areas including high-altitude areas.
The missile operates on the laser beam riding principle and is resistant to evasive actions taken by modern day aerial platforms.
The missile has a high single shot kill probability due to advanced sighting system, incorporation of proximity fuze and high explosive warhead, said Army.
The missile system has been procured post Operation Sindoor especially to detect and destroy high value drones and UAVs.
Assault capability in night time enhanced
To enable operations in night conditions, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth Rs 659.47 crore for procurement of night sights for the 7.62 x 51mm assault rifle along with accessories for the Indian Army with the consortium of MKU Ltd (lead member) and Medbit Technologies Pvt Ltd. This will enable soldiers to fully exploit the longer effective range of the SIG 716 assault rifle.
These sights are capable of engaging targets up to an effective range of 500 metres, even under starlit conditions and provide a significant improvement over the existing Passive Night Sights (PNS).
This procurement, classified as a Buy (Indian-IDDM) case with more than 51% indigenous content, is a major step towards Atma Nirbharta in defence manufacturing. The initiative will also benefit MSMEs involved in manufacturing of components and supply of raw material.
