India to produce French Safran AASM Hammer Air-to-Ground Bombs for Rafale and Tejas Jets
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India’s Ministry of Defence has cleared a joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics & Defense to manufacture AASM Hammer precision-guided weapons in India for Rafale and Tejas fleets. The move deepens Indo-French defense ties while pushing India closer to munitions sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific, with direct implications for airpower balances against China and Pakistan.
India has moved from intent to execution on local production of the AASM HAMMER stand-off weapon, formalizing a joint venture between state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense that will build, customize, and support the precision-guided munition on Indian soil. Announced in a Defence Ministry statement that follows a partnership deal first unveiled at Aero India in February 2025, the new private company will be owned in equal shares by BEL and Safran, and framed as part of New Delhi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat push for greater self-reliance in advanced weapons.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
In the Indian context, the strategic interest is twofold: securing sustained access to these munitions for Rafale and Tejas, and adapting the kits to national support chains (Picture source: Safran)
The statement recalls that the agreement formalizes the memorandum signed during Aero India in February 2025 and will lead to the creation of a private company held in equal shares by the two groups. This entity will be responsible for producing, supporting, and adapting the weapon to the requirements of the Indian armed forces, with a target of reaching 60 percent indigenization through local manufacturing of subassemblies, electronic modules, and mechanical parts. Bharat Electronics Limited will progressively take over final assembly, testing, and quality assurance, marking an expansion of its role in weapon systems. The objective is to provide the Indian industrial base with lasting expertise in precision munitions at a time when the country is seeking to secure its supply chains and reduce structural dependencies.
The Hammer system, developed by Safran, is designed as an intelligent stand-off munition able to operate in all weather conditions. It is based on adding two modules to a conventional bomb: a guidance section at the front and a rear section that includes a rocket motor and control fins. This configuration converts various bomb bodies into precision weapons, a principle that offers air forces considerable flexibility. The system can be fitted to bombs from 125 to 1,000 kg, with the 250 kg configuration widely used. In that version, the weapon is approximately 3.1 m long, has a wingspan of around 0.78 m once the fins are deployed, and a launch weight of about 340 kg. This design ensures stable flight and high accuracy at extended range.
The Hammer family includes three distinct guidance options. The first variant combines an inertial navigation system with GPS, providing consistent accuracy in degraded weather conditions. A second version adds an imaging infrared seeker to obtain accuracy close to one meter when conditions allow. A third configuration uses a laser sensor and is able to engage moving targets, offering flexibility in interdiction or dynamic support missions. In optimized firing profiles, the weapon can reach ranges of more than 70 km, keeping the launch aircraft outside the engagement envelope of many short-range air defense systems while maintaining the ability to strike priority targets.
Operational experience has led to the integration of the system on several aircraft types in multiple countries, confirming its compatibility with different avionics architectures. In the Indian context, the strategic interest is twofold: securing sustained access to these munitions for Rafale and Tejas, and adapting the kits to national support chains. For Rafale, Hammer becomes the preferred weapon for precision strikes from stand-off distances. For Tejas, it represents a clear step up, expanding the mission spectrum of the light fighter towards roles usually assigned to heavier platforms, provided that target designation, data links, and mission planning are properly synchronized. Local production mechanically reduces vulnerabilities in times of tension, especially for future Rafale units that the Indian Air Force plans to induct.
The introduction of this munition directly influences how New Delhi plans its air operations on its two main fronts. The ability to engage multiple targets in a single sequence from stand-off range reduces aircrew exposure to hostile radars and surface-to-air systems. In interdiction or close air support missions, meter-class accuracy allows targeted neutralization of depots, artillery pieces, critical infrastructure, or command centers while limiting collateral risks in constrained environments. Integrated into electromagnetic emission control (EMCON) procedures and a network-centric command and control architecture, the weapon uses target designations provided by Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones, surface vessels, or ground based sensors, thereby extending the Recognized Maritime Picture / Common Operational Picture used by Indian forces.
The creation of this joint venture also reflects a broader trend in which India adjusts its external partnerships without abandoning its diversification logic. By assigning production of a key munition to a French Indian structure, New Delhi reinforces an already dense strategic link with Paris, which now covers avionics, weapons, certain sensors, and propulsion building blocks. For the Indian defense industrial base, this buildup in skills generates spillover effects across the electronics sector, precision mechanics, and test centers, while preparing the ground for potential export options. From the perspective of Beijing and Islamabad, the gradual integration of locally produced munitions on modernized fleets sends a signal of long-term resilience that directly affects military balances in the Indo-Pacific.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
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India’s Ministry of Defence has cleared a joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics & Defense to manufacture AASM Hammer precision-guided weapons in India for Rafale and Tejas fleets. The move deepens Indo-French defense ties while pushing India closer to munitions sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific, with direct implications for airpower balances against China and Pakistan.
India has moved from intent to execution on local production of the AASM HAMMER stand-off weapon, formalizing a joint venture between state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense that will build, customize, and support the precision-guided munition on Indian soil. Announced in a Defence Ministry statement that follows a partnership deal first unveiled at Aero India in February 2025, the new private company will be owned in equal shares by BEL and Safran, and framed as part of New Delhi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat push for greater self-reliance in advanced weapons.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
In the Indian context, the strategic interest is twofold: securing sustained access to these munitions for Rafale and Tejas, and adapting the kits to national support chains (Picture source: Safran)
The statement recalls that the agreement formalizes the memorandum signed during Aero India in February 2025 and will lead to the creation of a private company held in equal shares by the two groups. This entity will be responsible for producing, supporting, and adapting the weapon to the requirements of the Indian armed forces, with a target of reaching 60 percent indigenization through local manufacturing of subassemblies, electronic modules, and mechanical parts. Bharat Electronics Limited will progressively take over final assembly, testing, and quality assurance, marking an expansion of its role in weapon systems. The objective is to provide the Indian industrial base with lasting expertise in precision munitions at a time when the country is seeking to secure its supply chains and reduce structural dependencies.
The Hammer system, developed by Safran, is designed as an intelligent stand-off munition able to operate in all weather conditions. It is based on adding two modules to a conventional bomb: a guidance section at the front and a rear section that includes a rocket motor and control fins. This configuration converts various bomb bodies into precision weapons, a principle that offers air forces considerable flexibility. The system can be fitted to bombs from 125 to 1,000 kg, with the 250 kg configuration widely used. In that version, the weapon is approximately 3.1 m long, has a wingspan of around 0.78 m once the fins are deployed, and a launch weight of about 340 kg. This design ensures stable flight and high accuracy at extended range.
The Hammer family includes three distinct guidance options. The first variant combines an inertial navigation system with GPS, providing consistent accuracy in degraded weather conditions. A second version adds an imaging infrared seeker to obtain accuracy close to one meter when conditions allow. A third configuration uses a laser sensor and is able to engage moving targets, offering flexibility in interdiction or dynamic support missions. In optimized firing profiles, the weapon can reach ranges of more than 70 km, keeping the launch aircraft outside the engagement envelope of many short-range air defense systems while maintaining the ability to strike priority targets.
Operational experience has led to the integration of the system on several aircraft types in multiple countries, confirming its compatibility with different avionics architectures. In the Indian context, the strategic interest is twofold: securing sustained access to these munitions for Rafale and Tejas, and adapting the kits to national support chains. For Rafale, Hammer becomes the preferred weapon for precision strikes from stand-off distances. For Tejas, it represents a clear step up, expanding the mission spectrum of the light fighter towards roles usually assigned to heavier platforms, provided that target designation, data links, and mission planning are properly synchronized. Local production mechanically reduces vulnerabilities in times of tension, especially for future Rafale units that the Indian Air Force plans to induct.
The introduction of this munition directly influences how New Delhi plans its air operations on its two main fronts. The ability to engage multiple targets in a single sequence from stand-off range reduces aircrew exposure to hostile radars and surface-to-air systems. In interdiction or close air support missions, meter-class accuracy allows targeted neutralization of depots, artillery pieces, critical infrastructure, or command centers while limiting collateral risks in constrained environments. Integrated into electromagnetic emission control (EMCON) procedures and a network-centric command and control architecture, the weapon uses target designations provided by Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones, surface vessels, or ground based sensors, thereby extending the Recognized Maritime Picture / Common Operational Picture used by Indian forces.
The creation of this joint venture also reflects a broader trend in which India adjusts its external partnerships without abandoning its diversification logic. By assigning production of a key munition to a French Indian structure, New Delhi reinforces an already dense strategic link with Paris, which now covers avionics, weapons, certain sensors, and propulsion building blocks. For the Indian defense industrial base, this buildup in skills generates spillover effects across the electronics sector, precision mechanics, and test centers, while preparing the ground for potential export options. From the perspective of Beijing and Islamabad, the gradual integration of locally produced munitions on modernized fleets sends a signal of long-term resilience that directly affects military balances in the Indo-Pacific.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
