Under the licensing agreement, MBDA will transfer the equipment and knowledge to BDL for establishing the facility. Work on establishing this capability in India is due to start immediately and is expected to commence operations by the year 2022-23.

The agreement to establish the facility follows on from an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BDL and MBDA on ASRAAM FAIT signed during 2019.

This new BDL ASRAAM facility will have the potential to also conduct maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of ASRAAM missiles. The facility can also be adapted to conduct final assembly, integration and test of the CAMM missile of MBDA. CAMM is the missile used by the Sea Ceptor naval air defence system that has been offered as Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) requirement.

ASRAAM, a Within Visual Range Air Dominance weapon, is New Generation Close Combat Missile. Its low drag, aerodynamic airframe, unrivalled speed and manoeuvrability throughout its flight, increased agility make the best missile in its category of weapons. The missile has full ‘Lock On Before Launch' and ‘Lock On After Launch' operating modes.