Elbit is transitioning from a high-profile demonstration to a long-range fire program that is scalable and produced locally.
A long-range rocket launcher mounted on a military truck was one of the most watched platforms on the ground during India’s annual Republic Day Army parade in New Delhi, rather than an aircraft or an armored vehicle.
In front of hundreds of thousands of people and a national television audience, Elbit Systems’ PULTM (Precise & Universal Launching System) was first shown in public as part of the Indian Army’s force demonstration.
Elbit saw the presence as more than just ceremonial visibility. It marked entry into a sizable market: the land-based long-range firing domain in India. “This is the first time we are delivering PULTM launchers to India as part of a full long-range fires capability,” stated Itamar, Business Development Manager for the PULTM line of business. It marks a significant turning point in our relationship with this client.
The modular artillery rocket launcher PULTM can fire a variety of projectiles from a single platform. The launcher was introduced during Army Day together with two long-range strike options: the Predator Hawk missile and the EXTRA precision-guided rocket. When combined, they offer engagement ranges ranging from tens of kilometers to several hundred kilometers, combining precision with rapid post-launch repositioning.
PULS is an open-architecture solution, in contrast to traditional rocket artillery systems that are based on a single munition family. The same launcher can be tailored to local operational principles and incorporated onto other vehicle platforms; this technique is in line with India’s broader industrial strategy and procurement processes.
The Indian PULS program is being carried out in collaboration with a local prime contractor who is in charge of producing the launching platform domestically. The delivery of cutting-edge weapons, fire control, and system integration are the main responsibilities of Elbit Systems.
The Indian indigenous version of the system is called SuryAstra, representing the Army’s long-term goal to field a domestically built long-range fire capability, as part of the program’s emphasis on local industrial participation.
This distribution of duties allows the system to be implemented more quickly while reflecting India’s “Make in India” and defense-industrial involvement agendas. Industry sources claim that this is the first time Elbit has supplied India with land-based rocket launchers; the first phase is designed as a lead program for larger formations.
Two launchers, replacement parts, ammunition, and a full support package are all covered by the initial emergency procurement deal that has already been signed. In the upcoming months, live-fire demonstrations are anticipated to follow the delivery of these systems. It is expected that successful testing will allow for subsequent contracts at the regimental level.
There was visibility thanks to the Army Day parade. The following phase centers on scale. The Indian market may grow from a first batch of launchers to bigger scales, combining locally manufactured platforms with Israeli-developed precision munitions, if future firing tests fulfill operational expectations.
For Elbit Systems, this has the potential to expand into one of its largest land-systems initiatives in Asia, measured not only in unit numbers but also in long-term sustainment, training, and industrial cooperation.
