The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas that uses active radar homing and flies just above the water to evade defences.
The United States has approved the sale of Harpoon Joint Common Test Set and related equipment to India worth $82 million, which would enhance India's operational capabilities to meet the future requirements of the Indian forces.
The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress about this on Monday.
"The State Department has decided to approve a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India of Harpoon Joint Common Test Set and related equipment for an estimated cost of $82 million," the DSCA said in a statement.
The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas that uses active radar homing and flies just above the water to evade defences.
India had proposed to acquire each Harpoon Joint Common Test Set and Harpoon Intermediate Level maintenance station. It also requested to buy spare and repair parts, support, test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training, logistics support services, and other related logistics and program support elements.
"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region," the statement said.
As per the statement, the principal contractor will be The Boeing Company, St. Louis, MO.
"There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement required by India will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s)," it added.