Article Posted on : - Sep 16, 2011

The RBS 70 air defence missile system mounted on a vehicle. A Saab Group Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Swedish defence major Saab has said it is offering its RBS 70NG man-portable air defence system to Indian Army for its requirements for shoulder-fired missiles.

“The RBS 70 NG is a contender for procurement of Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) man-portable air defence (MANPAD) missile for Indian Army,” Saab said in a release on Thursday.

The Indian Army at present uses the Russian-origin Igla missile systems and is looking for its replacements. It had recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) in this regard and is expected to issue a formal tender very soon.

“We believe the RBS 70NG meets requirements of Indian Army for a system that has multiple target seeking and tracking capabilities, multi-launcher capability, ability to deploy from high mobility vehicles and ship and submarine naval vessels and aerial target detection capability,” Saab India head Inderjit Sial said.

Saab said the RBS 70NG has been equipped with “a new sighting system, improved precision and increased all-target capability.”

The company said the RBS 70NG has an effective intercept range of 8 km, with altitude coverage in excess of 5 km.