New Delhi– The US Department of Defense announced that it has awarded defence major Boeing a $81 million contract to supply 22 Harpoon missile systems for Indian Navy’s Shishumar class submarines.
A Department of Defense release said the Boeing, the weapon manufacturer, is being awarded the $81,271,024 contract for firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 22 Lot 89 Harpoon missiles and associated containers and components for India under the Foreign Military Sales programme.
The contract is expected to be completed in June 2018.
In 2014, India requested the US government for the Harpoon missiles for Shishumar class submarine. The request was made under Foreign Military Sale.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had July 2014 said that the Indian government has requested a possible sale of 12 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles, 10 UTM-84L Harpoon Encapsulated Training missiles, 2 Encapsulated Harpoon certification training vehicles, containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, US Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.
The estimated cost is $200 million.
It said that this weapon system, to be employed on the Shishumar class submarine (Type-209), will provide enhanced capabilities for defence of critical sea lines of communication.
“India has already purchased Harpoon missiles for integration on Indian Air Force’s Jaguar aircraft and Indian Navy’s P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. India will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces,” it added.
Sources in the industry said that a contract was signed this June between Indian Ministry of Defence and US Department of Defense for supply of Harpoon systems for the submarines.
To execute this contract, the US government has to buy the missiles from Boeing to supply to India. (IANS)
