BEL, France’s Sagem to jointly produce navigational systems for Navy

Navratna defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sagem Défense Sécurité, France, to explore co-operation in the production and supply of navigational sensors like periscope, inertial navigational system and optronic mast to the Indian Navy for its various platforms under consideration for future induction.

BEL director for marketing P C Jain and Sagem CEO Bruno signed the MoU at the BEL stall at DefExpo-2014 in New Delhi on Friday.

The Indian Navy has ambitious plans of inducting ships and submarines into the service in the near future.

The government has, accordingly, approved a programme of ship and submarine construction.

These naval platforms have large-scale requirement of sensors such as SIGMA–40, Ring Laser Gyro, Optronic mast, Attack Periscope and Radar Mast for submarines.

Sagem Défense Sécurité has the technology and expertise in the manufacture of these sensors.

BEL is the leader in the manufacture and supply of defence electronics for the Indian armed forces.

The coming together of BEL and Sagem to co-operate in the field of navigational sensors for ships and submarines will help in meeting the needs of the Indian Navy.

The MoU will help in understanding and absorbing the critical technology adopted in these sensors for use in future induction platforms of the Navy, a defence ministry release said.

The MoU will facilitate BEL and Sagem to work together for 24 months and if considered necessary, the same can be extended to a further period agreeable to both the companies, it added.