Indian Navy seeks 1,000 km range ship-based loitering munitions

The Indian Navy has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to acquire a Medium Range Loitering Munition (LM(MR)) system. Designed as a universal strike capability, the system is intended to engage both maritime and land-based threats from naval vessels and shore-based vehicles.

Key technical specifications include an operational range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, an endurance of over nine hours, and speeds surpassing 75 knots. The munitions must be capable of operating at altitudes up to 15,000 feet and feature a modular targeting system with a stabilized EO/IR seeker for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and terminal guidance. To ensure resilience in electronic warfare conditions, the system must support autonomous operation in GNSS-denied environments.

The procurement will follow either the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ category, requiring an indigenously designed and manufactured platform, or the ‘Buy (Indian)’ category, which allows foreign manufacturers to partner with local firms through technology transfers or joint ventures. This move aligns with previous Ministry of Defence plans to deploy containerized missile and loitering munition systems across various platforms.