India and Japan have inked their initial bilateral deal for collaborating on defense equipment development, marking a significant stride in their deepening strategic and security alliance.
The primary project under this agreement will concentrate on the development and licensed production of the UNICORN (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) shipborne communications mast, an advanced integrated mast system created by Japan’s NEC Corporation.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will be responsible for manufacturing the system in India in partnership with Japanese firms. Japan will contribute the design and core technologies, while India will handle system integration, localization, and production in alignment with the “Make in India” initiative.
The UNICORN system, originally developed by NEC, is set to be enhanced by India with its own sensors and antennas for deployment on Indian Navy vessels, gradually replacing existing communication and sensor mast systems throughout the Navy’s fleet.
India has expressed interest in acquiring this technology for some time. In November 2024, both nations finalized an agreement for the export of UNICORN multifunctional masts to India as part of their broader strategic partnership, leading to the latest joint development endeavor.
UNICORN, also referred to as NORA-50, was a collaborative effort between NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K., and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. for Japan’s Mogami-class frigates. This integrated mast system consolidates various communication, surveillance, and electronic warfare antennas into a single structure, reducing the number of externally mounted antennas on a ship’s superstructure.
The mast features an omnidirectional surveillance radar antenna, electronic support measures (ESM) antennas, Wi-Fi and Link 16 antennas, UHF transmit and receive antennas, identification friend-or-foe (IFF) systems, VHF/UHF communication antennas, a tactical navigation system, and a lightning conductor.
Besides optimizing space utilization and simplifying maintenance, the integrated design diminishes a vessel’s radar cross-section, augmenting stealth capabilities and making naval platforms more challenging to detect.
The development of the UNICORN system occurred between 2015 and 2016, with mass production commencing in 2018. The mast was initially installed on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates in 2019.
