The Army has ordered Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) worth Rs. 14,000 crore from the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Currently, this is the most expensive contract in the history of the Indian Army, according to the words of the managing director and chairman of BDL, Ravi Khetarpal.
BDL is a category-1-mini-Ratna defence public sector and is currently one of the main production agencies for all types of missiles.
The SAMs ordered are named Akash and were developed by the DRDO as a poart of the integrated guided missile development program. The Akash has an approximate range of 25Km and thanks to its low reaction time of 15 seconds it can eliminate aircraft traveling at speed up to 700m/sec. The weapons systems on this missile are state-of-the-art pieces of technologies and thanks to them the Akash can work in harsh weather conditions. The Armed Forces need those missiles to be deployed at locations for close defence from aerial attacks.
There are currently many orders placed for the SAMs, and the BDL is planning to establish new facilities in other parts of the country in order to have the capabilities to manufacture enough missiles. A fresh press release shows that the BDL may soon become a Navratha Defence PSU with a turnover projected at over Rs. 5,000 crore by 2015.
With a number of projects related to SAMs in the offering, the BDL is planning to set up new facilities in the state as well in other parts of the country to manufacture these weapons. According to a press release from the BDL, it will soon become a Navratna Defence PSU with a turnover projected at over Rs.
5,000 crore by 2015.
5,000 crore by 2015.
