Rapid Fire
ALH Mk-III and Shtil Missiles
- 05 Mar 2026
- 2 min read
The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth Rs 5,083 crore to procure six Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-III for the Indian Coast Guard from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and Shtil Surface-to-Air Missile System along with missile holding frames for the Indian Navy from JSC Rosoboronexport, Russia.
- Acquisition of ALH Mk-III: This contract falls under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category.
- The ALH Mk-III are twin-engine vehicles that strengthen maritime security operations such as protection of offshore installations, fishermen, and the marine environment, while supporting Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat through participation of over 200 MSMEs and generating about 65 lakh man-hours of employment.
- Shtil Surface-to-Air Missile System: It is a ship-based medium-range air defence system designed to intercept aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and anti-ship missiles targeting naval vessels.
- Developed by Russian defence industries, it is derived from the Buk Missile System family.
- The system uses a Vertical Launch System (VLS), enabling rapid, all-weather interception of multiple aerial threats and integration with naval radar and fire-control systems.
- For the Indian Navy, it strengthens layered maritime air defence and enhances the survivability of frontline warships in the Indian Ocean Region.
| Read more: Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III Squadron |
