Bharat Dynamics signs pact with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to jointly produce Ice Breaker weapon system

Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd (Rafael) on Tuesday announced 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. As part of the deal, Rafael and BDL will collaborate to produce the Ice Breaker at the Indian comapny's advanced facilities. The weapon system will be offered to the Indian armed forces.

Both companies said that their partnership aligns with the government’s 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliance India) initiative, emphasising the indigenous manufacturing and transfer of critical technologies.

"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," said an official statement. 

What is the Ice Breaker?

It is a 5th-generation long-range autonomous precision-guided weapon system capable of air-to-ground and surface-to-surface launches, set to offer the Indian Armed Forces an agile, long-range standoff attack solution designed to meet the evolving challenges of modern battlefields, according to the statement. 

Ice Breaker's Advanced Capabilities

It 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 optimised to strike high value stationary and moving land targets, even in contested environments.

The Ice Breaker incorporates advanced technologies to address modern battlefield requirements while delivering high operational effectiveness.

Strategic Partnership

“We are honoured 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," said Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. 

“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," said Commodore A Madhavarao (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Dynamics.