India and Israel will jointly develop a new generation of
medium-range surface-to-air missiles in a $2.47 billion project that
India hopes will secure its strategic assets, according to Indian
press reports. The joint venture reportedly was approved by India's
Cabinet Committee.In 2006 India bought Ê$1.6 billion worth of Israeli
military equipment.
The missile system, is expected to take four to five years to
develop, It will be capable of detecting and destroying aircraft,
missiles and drones at a range of 70 kilometers. Each of the 18
firing units will come equipped with a command and control center,
acquisition radar, guidance radar and three launchers with eight
missiles each.
The missile system development is an extension of a $480 million
Israel Aerospace Industries project, launched in January 2006, to
develop a supersonic 60-kilometer missile defense system for the
Indian navy.