India, Israel to Jointly Develop 2.5 Bln Dollar Missile System

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) India and Israel will jointly develop a new generation of medium-range surface-to-air missiles in a 2.47 billion dollar project that India hopes will secure its strategic assets.

The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the joint venture -- between the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Israel Aerospace Industries -- at a late evening meeting yesterday, it was officially confirmed here today.

The missile system -- expected to take four to five years to develop -- will be capable of detecting and destroying aircraft, missiles and drones at a range of 70 kilometers, said informed sources in the Defence Ministry.

The sources said each of the 18 firing units will come equipped with a command and control centre, an acquisition radar, a guidance radar and three launchers with eight missiles each.

The missile system development is an extension of a 480 million dollar Israel Aerospace Industries project -- launched in January last year -- to develop a supersonic 60-kilometer missile defence system for the Indian Navy, the sources added.

The venture will work towards developing an air defence system for the Indian Air Force to replace its ageing Soviet-era 'Pechoura' missile system. The new missile is likely to be an advanced version of the Israeli Spyder quick-reaction missile which has an effective range of 55 kilometers.

The Israeli help comes after repeated delays in the indigenous 'Akash' missile project that is still to undergo user trials.

India and Israel are already in a 14-billion-rupee project to develop an extended-range version of the 'Barak' missile that is deployed on frontline Indian Navy warships. The next-generation 'Barak' will have a 70-kilometer range against the 10-kilometer radius of the existing missile.

India and Israel have increased cooperation in varied fields -- particularly in military and intelligence ventures -- since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.

According to Government estimates, Israel has become India's second biggest defence supplier after Russia -- providing military equipment worth 1.6 billion dollars in 2006.

India has already acquired the Green Pine early-warning radar from Israel. Other joint-venture projects are underway for spy planes, electronic warfare systems and AWACS (airborne warning and control systems), while Israel is helping India with the modernisation of its Soviet-era fighter jets and tanks.

UNI