India will manufacture FZ275 LGR precision-strike 70mm laser-guided rockets under a new partnership between Thales, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and the Indian government.
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The signed memorandum of understanding to set up manufacturing facilities in India was announced in Bengaluru on 14 February.
Under the agreement, BDL will export locally manufactured components to existing and future 70mm laser-guided rockets customers.
The deal will also enable BDL to offer “Make in India” 70mm laser-guided rockets to the government for its existing fleet of advanced light and light combat helicopters.
BDL chairman and managing director Commodore Siddharth Mishra said the company is proud to deliver a “Make in India” initiative.
“We are pleased to partner once again with Thales, this time for precision-strike 70mm laser-guided rockets,” he said.
“Leveraging our long experience in building precision-guided ammunition and our diverse industrial expertise, we look forward to reaching new heights of excellence with this partnership and contributing to the prestigious ‘Make in India’ initiative.”
Thales originally developed the FZ275 LGR 70mm laser -guided rocket as a gap-filler between long-range high-value missiles and the short-range artillery and unguided rockets.
The aircraft, naval or land-launched rockets have a range of 1,500 metres to 7,000 metres and deliver a one-kilogram high explosive to a stationary or moving target with a lethal radius of nine metres.
Thales India vice-president and country director Ashish Saraf said the company is proud to strengthen the partnership with Bharat Dynamics Limited.
“In support of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, this collaboration seeks to further develop in-country capability of producing advanced weapon systems such as 70mm laser-guided rockets to cater to export markets besides assisting the Indian Armed Forces in their mission to effectively safeguard the nation,” Saraf said.