India produces first locally made Israeli missile

Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The first Indian produced Long Range Surface to Air missile by Israel Aerospace Industries has been given to the Indian Navy.

The delivery was made by Indian Minister of Defense Arun Jaitley earlier this week after the missile was presented to him by IAI and Indian business officials in Hyderabad.

"The delivery of the first missile manufactured in India to India's defense arms is a technological dream come true," Boaz Levi, executive vice president and general manager of IAI's Systems, Missiles & Space Group, said in a press release. "It is another exciting step in the many-years collaboration between IAI, India's government, India's DRDO and other partners and one that reflects a technological and engineering effort of the highest level."

The LRSAM was made in India as part of the country's indigenous manufacturing program. IAI and RAFAEL from Israel, together with India's Baharat Dynamic, established a production line in India for the LRSAM program, which was backed by India's Defense Research and Development Organization.

The production lines integrated Israeli-made and Indian-made assemblies for the weapon.

IAI said the missile features advanced phased-array radar and command-and-control system, launchers and missiles with advanced RF seekers for protection against a variety of aerial, naval and airborne threats.

The LRSAM is operational with the Indian air force, Indian navy and Israel Defense Forces.