India Places Orders for French HAMMER Missiles to Enhance Tejas Capabilities

With the ongoing conflict with China along the northern borders set to be prolonged, India has placed orders for HAMMER missiles from France to enhance the capabilities of its LCA Tejas fighter jets.

The acquisition will enable Tejas jets to take out enemy bunkers 70km away. The capability of taking out enemy targets from such ranges would allow the indigenous planes to carry out Balakot-like airstrikes with more accuracy and precision, top government sources told India Today.

The order for the HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) missiles from France for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was placed under the emergency procurement powers as was done for the same missiles to be equipped on the Rafales. Under a major order, a few hundred missiles would be added to the Indian Air Force’s arsenal, sources said. “The HAMMER missiles from France will help in boosting our capabilities to take out targets in high-altitude areas, such as Eastern Ladakh,” a source said. The emergency powers have been given to the armed forces because of the ongoing conflict with the People’s Liberation Army of China in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

India has already activated two LCA Tejas fighter squadrons and is looking to get four more in a couple of years. They will replace the outgoing MiG-21 inventory. “LCA Tejas is a far better aircraft than the Chinese developed JF-17 and the HAMMER would take it ahead of their fleet in strike capabilities,” an official said.

Source: India Today