ADVANCING BALLISTIC PROTECTION AND AMMUNITION

SMPP, with a rich legacy in ballistic protection and ammunition components, continues to innovate in defence manufacturing. ASHISH KANSAL, Director SMPP, shares insights into the company's expansion into ammunition production, its ground breaking advancements in lightweight ballistic materials like Boron Carbide, R&D plans for precision-guided munitions, and ongoing collaborations for global defence opportunities, highlighting their contributions to both domestic and international markets.

- ASHISH KANSAL

What motivated SMPP to diversify into ammunition manufacturing, and how does this align with the company's existing expertise in ballistic protection?

The company has been manufacturing ammunition components for over three decades. We began in 1991-92 when we developed combustible cartridge cases for tank and artillery ammunition for the first time in the country thereby making India as only the fourth country in the world to have this technology. Hence going into ammunition manufacturing was a natural forward integration for us.

Before 2019, private-sector companies were not permitted to produce ammunition as this was reserved for Govt entities only. However, in 2019, when the government allowed private participation in ammunition, we promptly applied for a license to manufacture ammunition. After receiving the license, we started establishing the necessary facilities because this transition was a logical extension of our expertise. With customer still being the armed force for both ballistic protection and ammunition, it aligns with the company's existing relationship and credibility with the customer.

What are the unique challenges and opportunities in developing precision-guided and terminal-guided ammunition?

Currently, India does not manufacture any precision-guided munitions (PGM) or terminal-guided munitions (TGM).

As mentioned earlier, 2019 marked the first time the private sector was allowed to enter this domain. Until then, only ordnance factories produced ammunition. Even today, MIL does not manufacture PGM or TGM ammunition. This area is highly technology-intensive.

India had previously procured Krasnopol TGMs from Russia. Additionally, around 1,600 rounds of Excalibur PGM were procured from the USA. While Krasnopol is a TGM, Excalibur is a PGM.