HAL orders 2.75-inch rocket launchers from Thales for Indian Armed Forces
Thales’s rocket launcher was tested and qualified for the Light Combat Helicopter in India in 2018
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has awarded Thales a contract to supply 135 2.75-inch (70-mm) rocket launchers to boost the tactical capabilities of the Indian armed forces. As per the contract, the Indian army and air force’s multi-role attack helicopters (18 Advanced Light Helicopters and 15 Light Combat Helicopters) will each be equipped with four 2.75-inch (70-mm) 12-tube rocket launchers.
“This new collaboration between Thales and HAL in the field of air-launched weaponry opens up new opportunities for the supply of equipment to the Indian armed forces, and consolidates Thales’s position in the Indian market. With this, helicopter crews will see a significant improvement in their tactical capabilities during missions,” said Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, VP and Country Director, Thales in India.
The solution to be supplied by Thales includes four 2.75-inch (70-mm) 12-tube rocket launchers, plus fire control capability and the T100 sighting system, as supplied under previous orders (more than 80 Advanced Light Helicopters have already been equipped with the solution). The huge range of 2.75-inch (70-mm) munitions available for use with the launchers, from conventional rockets to Thales’s laser-guided variant, encompasses a broad spectrum of the missions facing today’s armed forces.
Thales’s 2.75-inch (70-mm) rocket launchers are produced using composite material, making them an average of 50% lighter than metal launchers, and eliminating corrosion issues.
Thales’s rocket launchers are suitable for use on both light and combat helicopters. “The Indian armed forces are involved in a wide range of deployments in remote theatres, conducting operations beyond the scope of traditional homeland defence. For this reason, they need to round out their available resources with a view to boosting their tactical capability,” read a communiqué from the company.
