Javelin JV, Tata Power to develop, produce missile system

New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Javelin Joint Venture team, apartnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin which lostout on a lucrative deal with Indian Army, has joined handswith Tata Power Company to co-develop and produce the Javelinanti-armour missile system. As part of the agreement, the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV)and Tata Power SED will create a strategy to co-develop andproduce the Javelin missile system and integrate platformmounts to meet Indian requirements, which includes groundcombat vehicle, dismounted infantry and rotorcraftapplications. India, in late 2014, had decided to buy 8,356 Spikeanti-tank guided missile and 321 launchers from Israel for Rs3,200 crore, rejecting the US offer of Javelin missiles thatWashington was lobbying hard for. This, according to sources, was to be followed by transferof technology (ToT) to defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited forlarge-scale manufacture. Asked about the number of missiles the Indian army wouldneed to fully equip its 382 infantry battalions and 44mechanised infantry units, they put the figure at about40,000. However, the deal for Spike had run into rough weatherover cost escalation. The US had initially not agreed to provide criticaltechnologies of the missile as demanded by India and had alsoshown reluctance to make available the weapon for beingevaluated by Indian experts in the field trials. However, it had a change of heart but it was too late. "This agreement brings together three world leaders inaerospace and defense technology to extend Javelin to newcustomers, new applications and new platforms," said JohnHalvey, Javelin Joint Venture president at Raytheon MissileSystems. "With this deal, we are also reinforcing our continuedsupport of the ‘Make in India’ initiative," he was quoted asaying in a statement by TATA. "The combat-proven Javelin continues to fulfil a criticalprecision-strike role with our domestic and internationalpartners," said Rich Benton, Javelin Joint Venture vicepresident and Javelin program director at Lockheed MartinMissiles and Fire Control. "We look forward to working with Tata Power SED tomaximise the versatility and lethality of Javelin on these newplatforms," he said. PTI SAPSMJ