India, France to jointly manufacture HAMMER weapons; what makes them special
BEL and France's SED have signed a deal to jointly manufacture HAMMER precision-guided air-to-ground weapons in India through a 50:50 joint venture. The project will progressively increase local production to 60% and support the Indian Air Force and Navy. HAMMER is a combat-tested system designed to strike fortified targets with high accuracy. Its modular design allows use on aircraft like Rafale and LCA Tejas, can be launched from long stand-off ranges, and remains effective even without GPS.
New Delhi: Make-in-India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaigns have got a major boost, with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) collaborating with France's Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) to manufacture Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) Smart Precision Guided air-to-ground weapon in India. A Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement (JVCA) for the production of weapon has been signed.
The pact was signed by CMD, BEL Manoj Jain and Executive Vice President, SED Alexandre Ziegler in the presence of Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar & CEO Safran Mr Olivier Andries in New Delhi on November 24.
What's the agreement?
The agreement confirms the intent and makes it official. This intent was expressed in the MoU signed between BEL and SED on February 11, 2025 during Aero India. The pact reaffirms the willingness of both sides to incorporate a potential JVC in India. The JVC shall be set up as a private limited company, with each side holding a 50% share.
It will handle and localise the manufacturing, supply, and maintenance of HAMMER weapons systems for the operational requirements of Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. Over a period of time, up to 60% of the components — like sub-assemblies, electronics, and mechanical parts — will be manufactured locally. So, the indigenisation will see a rapid rise to about 60%, Production will be transferred in phases. BEL will take the lead in the final assembly, testing, and quality assurance.
The JVCA underlines BEL’s commitment to boosting India’s defence industrial base. It aims at leveraging SED’s extensive experience in manufacturing of smart precision guided air-to-ground weapon.
What is HAMMER and what are its features?
HAMMER is a combat-tested, precision-guided, air-to-ground weapon system. It is known to hit the target with high accuracy. HAMMER is used for hitting enemy bunkers, command centres, air defence systems, runways, and heavily protected targets.
Its modular design lends it adaptability. Various guidance and propulsion kits can be added to the system as per mission needs. Due to its flexibility, the system can be used on different aircraft, including the Rafale and the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
It can be launched from stand-off distances, which means the aircraft can hit targets from a long distance without entering enemy airspace. This goes a long way in increasing safety of the pilot. The system can function effectively even if GPS is not available, thanks to its sophisticated navigation and guidance technology.