Adani Defence and Thales Group Together to Elevate India's Aerial Combat Prowess with 70mm Rocket Production

In a significant move towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Adani Defence & Aerospace has joined forces with Thales Group to produce 70mm rockets for India's attack helicopters. Thales is a global leader in manufacturing these rockets, which can be employed against soft and light armoured vehicles, air defence facilities, radar sites, and communication installations with laser-guided precision. The partnership between Adani Defence and Thales Belgium will establish manufacturing, assembly, and testing in India under the Buy Indian category of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020.

Indigenous Helicopters and Global Collaboration:

India's attack fleet includes the HAL Rudra - an attack variant of the Dhruv chopper, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, the Apache AH-64, and the Mi-35 choppers. In 2022, the indigenously built LCH Prachand was inducted into the Air Force. Prachand can perform various roles such as combat search and rescue (CSAR), destruction of enemy air defence (DEAD), and counter-insurgency (CI) operations. The helicopter can also be deployed in high-altitude bunker-busting operations, counter-insurgency operations in jungles and urban environments, and for supporting ground forces.

Recent global events have underscored the importance of short-range air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities from rotary-wing platforms across terrain and frontiers. Fulfilling this capability is crucial for the Indian Armed Forces. Thales' 70mm unguided rockets have been successfully integrated and deployed in India's current ALH and Light Combat Helicopters fleet. These rockets have proven their worth in combat worldwide, and the Indian Armed Forces have received a considerable quantity under global buy in the past.

Integration with Helicopters:

The requirement for 70mm rockets is recurring and will form the backbone of India's combat capabilities for rotary-wing assets. These rockets will also be integrated into ALH(WSI) and LCH class helicopters. The 70mm unguided rockets are based on launchers fitted on either side of the helicopter, deploying seven, 12, or 19 tube configurations ready-to-fire rockets. Next-generation guided rockets are also part of this collaboration to strengthen India's defence ecosystem.

Earlier this month, Adani Defence and Aerospace signed an agreement with EDGE Group - one of the world's leading advanced technology and defence groups based in the UAE. This agreement aims to create a global platform that combines both companies' defence and aerospace capabilities to serve global and local customers' needs. It will explore establishing R&D facilities in India and UAE while setting up development, production, and maintenance facilities for defence and aerospace solutions to cater not only to captive markets but also to Southeast Asian and wider global markets.

This collaboration between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Thales Group marks a significant step towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing for India. The production of 70mm rockets will enhance India's attack helicopter capabilities while strengthening its overall defence ecosystem through partnerships with leading global defence groups like EDGE Group from UAE.