Mrsam missiles have 70 km strike range

HYDERABAD: India's air power will become more superior once the manufacture of advanced Medium Range Surface to Air Missile Systems (Mrsam) begins in Hyderabad very soon. When the country's armed forces get the Mrsam defence system, probably in three years from now, they will be able to shoot down ballistic missiles and enemy fighter jets, drones, surveillance aircraft, up to a range of 70 km.

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)on Monday signed a contract with Research Centre Imarat (RCI) for supply of Mrsam to the Indian army .The contract was signed for production, deliveries and support of Mrsam system. It was signed by BDL CMD V Udaya Bhaskar and RCI director and programme direc tor Mrsam (army) B H V S Narayanamurthy . The missile system Mrsam will be produced by DRDO in association with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

In April this year, IAI had announced that it had been awarded contracts in India totalling almost $2 billion, considered to be the largest defence contract in Israel's defences industries' history . Under this, the IAI will provide an advanced Mrsam air and missile defence system to the Indian army . "Mrsam is an advanced ground breaking air and missile defence system that provides the ultimate protection against a variety of aerial threats," IAI said. The system includes an advanced phased-array radar, command and control, and mobile launchers and missiles with advanced RF seekers.