The Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) signed a ₹1,188 crore deal with state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for supply of 4,960 MILAN-2T Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) for the Indian Army. Under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat programmes, the government has been pushing the Indian private sector to manufacture more defence hardware in the country to reduce India’s defence armaments imports as well as transform India into a defence manufacturing hub. It is a ‘Repeat Order’ of contract, which was signed with BDL on March 08, 2016. Friday’s order is a repeat of the one signed with BDL in March 2016. Induction is planned to be completed in three years.
MILAN (Missile d’infanterie léger antichar; Light anti-tank infantry missile) is a Western European anti-tank guided missile. MILAN is also French for kite. Design of the MILAN started in 1962, it was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire-guided SACLOS (semi-automatic command to line-of-sight) missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the target to guide the missile. The MILAN can be equipped with a MIRA or MILIS thermal sight to give it night-firing ability. This was done to keep pace with developments in Soviet armour technology – Soviet tanks began to appear with explosive reactive armour, which could defeat earlier ATGMs.
The MILAN 2 variant, which entered service with the French, German and British armies in 1984, utilizes an improved 115 mm HEAT warhead. Consisting of two main components, the launcher and the missile, the MILAN system utilizes a semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) command guidance system. It tracks the missile either by a tail-mounted infrared lamp or an electronic-flash lamp, depending on the model. Because it is guided by wire by an operator, the missile cannot be affected by radio jamming or flares. However, drawbacks include its short range, the exposure of the operator, problems with overland powerlines, and a vulnerability to infrared jammers
The MILAN 2T is a Tandem Warhead ATGM (Anti-tank Guided Missile) with the range of 1,850 metres, produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited under license from MBDA Missile Systems, France. MILAN 2T is a single main shaped charge, with smaller shape charge warhead at end of standoff probe to defeat reactive armour. These missiles can be fired from ground as well as vehicle-based launchers and can be deployed in Anti-Tank Role for both offensive & defensive tasks. While the Milan was first produced in the ’70s, the Milan-2T is of more recent vintage– it was developed as a counter to “reactive armour” in the ’90s.
