Russian missiles S-400 to Israeli missiles Barak-8: how India strengthens its defense | India News

NEW DELHI: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on Wednesday that it has won an additional $ 777 million contract for the supply of the Barak-8 missile defense system – known in India as LRSAM – for seven vessels of the Indian Navy. The contract was with the public company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which is the main contractor for the project.

Barak-8 is a long-range surface-to-air missile jointly developed by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (which subcontracted work to Israeli companies Elta Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which has a joint venture with the Indian private company Kalyani). . It is a safe transport and launch missile for ships and can be launched vertically.

Barak-8 could be essential for the Indian Navy, with China strengthening its presence in and around the Indian Ocean.

But Indian forces are no stranger to Barak-8. In 2017, India and Israel had signed a $ 2 billion deal for the ground version of the missile system, MRSAM, for the Indian Army and LRSAM for the Navy. IAI then stated that it was the largest contract between India and Israel. The LRSAM was to be installed on the INS Vikrant and the Kolkata clbad destroyers.

Israel is becoming one of India's largest arms suppliers, alongside the United States and its long-time partner, Russia.

Last year, IAI signed a deal worth nearly $ 2 billion to provide the Indian Army and Navy with missile defense systems.

The Barak-8 agreement follows the pact with Russia of five S-400 missile shields, which can protect India from hostile jets, bombers, drones and missiles. India should deploy them along the borders with Pakistan and China, giving the military a boost in its defense against Chinese missiles.

The S-400 Missile Agreement was signed during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India the first week of October this year. The delivery of missile systems, estimated at more than $ 5 billion, will begin in 24 months from the signing of the contract.

The S-400 system can engage up to 36 targets at a time and simultaneously launch 72 missiles.

The air defense missile system includes a combat checkpoint, a bleach-resistant multi-element radar to detect air targets, six to eight anti-aircraft missile complexes (with up to 12 launchers carriers as well as a four-coordinate functional multi-radar detection and illumination), a technical badistance system, a missile carrying vehicle and a training simulator, experts said.

The S-400 system may also include a radar (detector) at all altitudes and mobile pylons for an antenna.

The detection range of this system is 600 km maximum and its range of tactical ballistic missile destruction ranges from 5 km to 60 km.

(with the participation of agencies)