UK Signs $465M Deal to Supply Air Defense Missiles, Launchers to India
The UK has signed a 350 million pound ($465 million) deal with India to supply air defense missiles and launchers.
Under the contract, the Indian Army will receive UK-manufactured Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the same systems currently produced for Ukraine.
The British government emphasized that the deal strengthens the UK-India defense partnership and coincides with ongoing cooperation on naval electric engines under an initial 250 million pounds ($332 million) arrangement.
The announcement also aligns with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai and the UK Carrier Strike Group’s joint Exercise Konkan with the Indian Navy in the Western Indian Ocean.
The four-day exercise involves ships, submarines, and aircraft from both forces.
Thales Lightweight Multirole Missile
The LMM is a short-range precision weapon developed by Thales.
Its design allows use in air, land, and naval operations, providing flexibility for different mission types.
It weighs about 13 kilograms (28.7 pounds), has an operational range of over 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), and can reach speeds above Mach 1.5 (1,850 kilometers/1,150 miles per hour).
The system uses laser-guided targeting for precise strikes while minimizing collateral damage.
LMM can be launched from several platforms, including shoulder, tripod, vehicle-mounted, or integrated systems such as the RapidRanger.
It can engage a wide range of threats such as light armored vehicles, small boats, drones, and helicopters.
For naval missions, the LMM can be launched from guns or helicopters to track and quickly engage small, fast-moving air and surface targets in complex environments.
