The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is expected to clear a series of major military procurement proposals, including the purchase of 600 HAMMER air-to-ground precision-guided munitions for the Indian Air Force and Navy, along with the induction of the indigenous Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM) for the Army. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, will be the first DAC session attended by the new Chief of Defence Staff, Army Chief Gen Raja Subramani, Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Air Force chief Gen Dhiraj Seth. The council is also expected to consider proposals for Verba very short-range air defence systems, fixed-wing pseudo satellites, naval shipborne aerial systems, software-defined radios, kamikaze drones, drone detection systems and Scorpene-class submarines.
According to defence sources, the Army will receive 100 MP-ATGM launchers, 2,300 missiles and five simulators under a proposal worth over Rs 2,600 crore. The indigenously designed, developed and manufactured system was built by DRDO and will be produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited, while the Defence Ministry also plans to identify private-sector manufacturing partners.
HAMMER missiles set to strengthen precision strike capability across three services
The Defence Ministry is also expected to approve the procurement of 600 HAMMER munitions under a deal worth around Rs 2,400 crore. The weapons will be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited under the Make in India initiative in collaboration with France’s Safran.
Most of the HAMMER missiles will be inducted by the Indian Air Force to arm its Rafale and LCA Tejas fighter aircraft, while the Indian Navy will deploy them on its Rafale Marine jets. The weapon first entered Indian service through emergency procurement following the Galwan clashes with China in 2020.
HAMMER capabilities allow aircraft to strike from safer distances
The HAMMER is a smart air-to-ground precision-guided munition designed for stand-off attacks. Equipped with a tail-mounted rocket and deployable wings, it can strike targets from around 50 to 70 kilometres away, allowing fighter aircraft to engage enemy positions while staying outside many air defence zones.
It follows a “fire-and-forget” principle and combines GPS and infrared guidance for high accuracy, reportedly hitting targets within 10 metres even in difficult weather or electronic warfare conditions. The weapon can be fitted to 250 kg, 500 kg and 1,000 kg bomb payloads, making it effective against fortified bunkers, command centres and targets in mountainous terrain.
HAMMER deal complemented by indigenous MP-ATGM for frontline troops
Alongside the HAMMER proposal, the DAC is expected to clear the MP-ATGM, giving Indian infantry a modern anti-armour weapon with high mobility and precision. The missile has been developed by DRDO to strengthen frontline troops against enemy armoured vehicles.
The council is also likely to consider acquiring Russian-origin Verba very short-range air defence systems, which will be produced by Adani Defence Limited in India. The Verba is an advanced version of the Igla missile already in service with the Army and is expected to significantly enhance low-level air defence capabilities.
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Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
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