Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the Indian Defense Ministry have inked a $1 billion deal under which Rafael will sell India its Spike anti-tank missiles, Defense News magazine reported Monday. Spike is a portable fire-and-forget guided missile equipped with an imaging infrared seeker and a high-explosive anti-tank warhead. The HEAT warhead uses a shaped charge that focuses the effect of the explosive's energy. As of 2016, Spike, which has medium, long and extended range versions, has been sold to 25 countries worldwide. Quoting a source in the Indian Defense Ministry, the report said the deal will move forward despite the ministry's single-vendor policy, which does not support single-source acquisitions. The Spike deal has been in the making since 2014, and has been deferred several times over costs, an issue now cleared up, the Indian defense official said, adding, "The Defense Ministry has now forwarded the deal to the Cabinet Committee of Security, which is likely to clear the same [deal]. The deal could then be signed after next month [in May]." According to a report on defense analysis website IHS Jane's, the deal includes the sale of 275 launchers and 5,500 missiles, as well as simulators and the transfer of technological knowledge to India for the purpose of assembling 1,500 systems and producing an additional 30,000 missiles. Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries both declined to comment on the report.
Report: India to buy $1 billion in Israeli anti-tank missiles
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to sell Indian Defense Ministry its Spike guided missiles • Spike, which has medium, long and extended range versions, has so far been sold to 25 countries worldwide • Deal said to include 275 launchers, 5,500 missiles.
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