Source: TOI
Subject: Defence
Context: India has signed a pact with France’s Safran to jointly manufacture, customise, supply and maintain the HAMMER (AASM) precision-guided air-to-ground weapon in India through a 50–50 JV with BEL.
About HAMMER precision-guided weapon (AASM):
What it is?
- HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range), also known as AASM, is a stand-off, precision-guided air-to-ground weapon that converts conventional bombs into high-accuracy strike systems through modular guidance and propulsion kits.
Developed by:
- Developed by Safran Electronics & Defense (France).
- In India, it will be jointly manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran through a 50:50 joint venture.
Aim:
- To provide the air force with accurate, flexible and survivable precision strike capability from stand-off ranges, enabling controlled escalation while minimising collateral damage and aircraft risk.
Key features:
- Modular design: Consists of a nose-mounted guidance kit and a tail-mounted range-extension kit, fitted onto standard bomb bodies (125 kg to 1,000 kg, including Mk-80 series).
- Multiple guidance options: INS-GPS (all-weather), INS-GPS-IR (high-precision fixed targets), and laser guidance (moving targets).
- Stand-off range & off-axis launch: Rocket booster and winglets allow launch from outside hostile air-defence zones and even at large off-axis angles.
- High precision: Circular Error Probability ranges from ~10 m (INS-GPS) to ~1 m (IR-guided).
- Platform flexibility: Integrated on Rafale and planned for Tejas, enabling a common precision-strike capability across imported and indigenous aircraft.
Significance:
- Operational edge: Bridges the gap between unguided bombs and expensive cruise missiles, offering missile-like precision at lower cost.
- Strategic autonomy: Domestic manufacturing reduces import dependence and ensures availability during crises.
- Technology absorption: Builds Indian expertise in guidance systems, propulsion integration and precision-strike workflows.
