Sagem, OIS-AT create AASM Hammer joint venture

[Zarvan]

A French Dassault Rafale armed with AASM 250 munitions. Source: IHS Jane's/Patrick Allen
French company Sagem announced on 19 April that it had signed a joint venture (JV) with Indian company OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT) that will allow the manufacture of components for the AASM Hammer precision-guided munition in India.


The agreement will have OIS-AT manufacturing bomb guidance and glide kits for the system in India, as part of the Indian government's 'Make In India' campaign to promote defence equipment manufacturing in India.

Sagem added in a statement that the guidance and glide kits would be "customised to specifically meet Indian Air Force requirements".

According to IHS Jane's Air Launched Weapons, Sagem is understood to have been negotiating an AASM contract with India to supply weapons for Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, upgraded Mirage 2000Hs, and upgraded SEPECAT Jaguar IS/IBs. Indian sources also stated that the AASM would be integrated on Indian Navy MiG-29Ks.

The AASM Hammer is a modular kit that adds a guidance/seeker assembly to the existing 'dumb' general-purpose aerial bomb, along with pop-out airfoils to increase the bomb's gliding range. Additionally, a rocket booster further extends the bomb's stand-off capability.

The baseline version of the system for use by the French military and for existing export variants is for use on a 250 kg (500 lb) bomb. Initial testing was conducted on a Dassault Mirage 2000N, with later tests taking place on a Dassault Rafale. It is currently cleared for use on the Lockheed Martin F-16 and Dassault Rafale, with Sagem having evaluated compatibility with larger platforms such as the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion, and the Dassault Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.

The 250 kg variant has a maximum range of 15-60 km, depending on the attack profile, and can use either a GPS, an inertial navigation system (INS) with imaging infrared seeker, or a laser seeker.

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http://www.janes.com/article/59674/sagem-ois-at-create-aasm-hammer-joint-venture

 

[C130]

AASM costs like 10x more than a JDAM kit Make in India hopefully will bring down the price significantly.

 

[SQ8]

While pricey, I see this weapon as the actual threat that the Rafale brings to the theatre.

 

[Quwa]

While pricey, I see this weapon as the actual threat that the Rafale brings to the theatre.

I'd be more worried about India picking up more ALCM for its arsenal, e.g. Storm Shadow. That said, Rafales equipped with MICA-RF/IR and AASM coming into our territory are going to be tough to deal with, there's no doubt in that. AASM is a scalable kit, let's you use it as a stand-off munition (50km) and swap out seekers based on the mission role. Do you see any value in the PAF emulating the model on JF-17, perhaps via a Denel Umbani or a close Chinese analogue?

 

[SQ8]

I'd be more worried about India picking up more ALCM for its arsenal, e.g. Storm Shadow. That said, Rafales equipped with MICA-RF/IR and AASM coming into our territory are going to be tough to deal with, there's no doubt in that. AASM is a scalable kit, let's you use it as a stand-off munition (50km) and swap out seekers based on the mission role. Do you see any value in the PAF emulating the model on JF-17, perhaps via a Denel Umbani or a close Chinese analogue?

That is upto the PAF and its planners. But the AASM is a kit that while expensive is fairly deadly in terms of what it allows the Rafale to do.
I am less worried about the MICAs since the AIM-120 is a pretty deadly and is some respects better kit which is not for discussion in this thread. India may opt for the Storm Shadow but they currently want to let their MKI's handle stand off targeting.

 

[cerberus]

That is upto the PAF and its planners. But the AASM is a kit that while expensive is fairly deadly in terms of what it allows the Rafale to do.
I am less worried about the MICAs since the AIM-120 is a pretty deadly and is some respects better kit which is not for discussion in this thread. India may opt for the Storm Shadow but they currently want to let their MKI's handle stand off targeting.

Sir,
As far i know there will be order of Meteor also since the large Order of MICA acquired during M2K upgrade deal package

If i remember currently that RFI also issued of meteor integration for indian BVR recruitment
Previously

 

[SQ8]

Sir,
As far i know there will be order of Meteor also since the large Order of MICA acquired during M2K upgrade deal package

If i remember currently that RFI also issued of meteor integration for indian BVR recruitment
Previously

I would still not consider as threatening a development as the AASM.