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Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (Rafael) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Indian production of the Ice Breaker, a 5th-generation long-range autonomous precision-guided weapon system, and offer it to the Indian armed forces. This partnership aligns with the Government of India’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, emphasizing indigenous manufacturing and transfer of critical technologies.
Under this MoU, Rafael and BDL will collaborate to produce the Ice Breaker at BDL’s advanced facilities in India. This 5th-generation lightweight weapon system is capable of air toground and surface to surface launches, offering the Indian Armed Forces an agile, long-range standoff attack solution designed to meet the evolving challenges of modern battlefields.
Advanced Capabilities of the Ice Breaker
The Ice Breaker is a versatile 5th-generation precision-guided missile system, designed for long-range standoff attacks. Compatible with multiple air and ground platforms, it offers significant flexibility in operational deployment. Equipped with autonomous guidance systems, the Ice Breaker is optimized to strike high value stationary and moving land targets, even in contested environments. Ice Breaker incorporates advanced technologies to address modern battlefield requirements while delivering high operational effectiveness.
Strengthening the Strategic Partnership
Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, underscored the importance of this collaboration:
“We are honored to deepen our partnership with BDL by together bringing the production of the Ice Breaker to India. This agreement reflects our commitment to supporting India’s defense ecosystem with state-of-the-art technology while fostering indigenous capabilities in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and under the leadership of our partners at BDL.”
Commodore A. Madhavarao (Retd.) is the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), emphasized the significance of local manufacturing:
“Our industrial excellence combined with Rafael’s unique technological solutions offers the Indian armed forces and the local ecosystem an opportunity for further growth and efficiency. Producing the Ice Breaker in India will allow our companies to provide an advanced, game changing system to the local market. We are confident in this partnerships potential in boosting local industry and supporting the Indian armed forces.”
A Shared Vision for India’s Defense Needs
The MoU highlights the longstanding relationship between Rafael and BDL, built on mutual trust and a shared commitment to delivering advanced, Indian manufactured solutions. With the production of the Ice Breaker, the Indian armed forces can readily benefit from a next-generation weapon system tailored to their unique operational needs, primed to reinforce India’s defense readiness and further the self-reliance policy.
