Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), India’s go-to defence tech powerhouse, gave the green light to a game-changing 50:50 joint venture with France’s Safran Electronics & Defence for the project HAMMER.
The joint venture will run a “Centre of Excellence” as the tech and teaming partner, handling production, supply, upkeep, and repairs for the HAMMER weapon system’s Guidance Kit (GK).
Bharat Electronics forms a joint venture with Safran Electronics and Defense (SEP), France for Project HAMMER. The Company will operate a “Center of Excellence” to act as a Technology cum Teaming Partner for the manufacturing, supply, maintenance and repair of the Guidance Kit… pic.twitter.com/poBHOH3Z6K
— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2026
Ahead of the 6th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue in Bengaluru on 17th February, the announcement acts as a major ‘Make in India’ push.
What is HAMMER Weapon System?
The HAMMER missile, which stands for Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range, is currently deployed on Rafale fighter jets and has been sourced entirely from France until now. Under this new setup, production will move to India.
HAMMER’s name evokes a hammer’s crushing blow that levels everything in its path, mirroring the weapon’s power to obliterate targets with precision. It’s an intelligent, GPS/INS-guided bomb built for pinpoint air-to-surface strikes.
The HAMMER missile can strike targets 60-70 km away. It specializes in mountains and against strong bunkers. Making it in India will get supplies to the Air Force faster, cut down on imports, and help the Make in India plan.
It was first shown in 2007 at the Paris Air Show as AASM. In 2011, it became HAMMER. It’s a medium-range weapon for air-to-ground attacks.
The missile weighs about 330 kg and nails precise hits, even up in high-altitude spots. It’s “fire-and-forget”, lock on the target, launch it, and you’re done; no need to guide it after that.
It takes out both still and moving targets using smart navigation tech that keeps misses to a minimum. You get warhead choices from 125 kg up to a hefty 1,000 kg, and it works rain or shine, day or night.
One Rafale jet can pack six 250-kg HAMMERs, letting it smash six different targets all at once.
As India and France gear up for their 6th Annual Defence Dialogue, missile tech takes center stage alongside aircraft and chopper deals.
Talks will dive into the proposed purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets, with 96 set to be built right here in India through local manufacturing, while the rest come fully assembled from Dassault Aviation.
On the sidelines, PM Modi and French President Macron are slated to kick off a helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka, a teamwork project between Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus to produce H-125 helicopters.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
