India and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) to co-develop the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) mast for deployment on Indian Navy ships. As part of this collaboration, the advanced naval communication system, known as UNICORN, is designed for export to India.
The MoI was signed in Tokyo on Friday during a ceremony attended by the Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, and Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner of the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) under Japan’s Ministry of Defence, according to an official statement from the Indian Navy.
Glimpses of the MoI signing ceremony of UNICORN by Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge and HE Mr Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner ATLA along with CMDE Digvijay Singh Pathania of Indian Navy and HE Mr Fukunaga Tetsuro, DG METI at Embassy of India, Tokyo. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/PGgk9KwQCp
— India in Japanインド大使館 (@IndianEmbTokyo) November 15, 2024
The Indian Navy is actively working towards the induction of these state-of-the-art systems, which will be co-developed in India by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in collaboration with Japanese partners. Originally designed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), the UNICORN system integrates multiple communication antennas into a single, streamlined structure, enhancing stealth capabilities and operational efficiency.
A key feature of the UNICORN system is its innovative horn-shaped design. This design consolidates multiple antennas into one unit, reducing the radar cross-section of naval vessels. This design minimizes mutual interference between antennas, a critical requirement for ensuring effective communication and detection during military operations.
This initiative marks a significant milestone, as it represents the first co-development and co-production of defence equipment between India and Japan, strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and technological collaboration.
At the third 2+2 Ministerial meeting in New Delhi on August 20, Foreign and Defense Ministers from the two nations agreed on a series of measures to enhance their bilateral defence cooperation in defence equipment and joint exercises.
A joint statement noted 2+2 Ministerial meeting “appreciated the progress made for the transfer of Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) and related technologies and early signing of related arrangements.”
UNICORN was jointly developed by three Japanese companies, NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K., and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., with NEC as the main contractor. In its NORA-50 variant, UNICORN is currently fitted exclusively on Mogami-class frigates.
Team BharatShakti
