Protecting India's defence future: automated fire protection and detection for a leading defence manufacturer

July 22, 2026

Defence and aerospace manufacturer

A leading Indian defence and aerospace manufacturer

The customer is the defence and aerospace arm of one of India's largest and most diversified conglomerates. This vertical is a strategic pillar of India's Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, developing indigenous capability across ammunition, weapons systems, and aerospace platforms to reduce the country's dependence on imported defence equipment.

The site covered by this deployment is a large calibre ammunition manufacturing complex within this portfolio, designed for the high-precision, high-stakes production of large caliber ammunition for the Indian armed forces. A facility of this nature demands the most rigorous fire safety and protection infrastructure: where the materials involved are inherently high-risk, and where system failure carries consequences that extend far beyond the facility itself.

Fire safety for one of the most demanding environments in Indian manufacturing

A large caliber ammunition complex presents fire safety challenges that are categorically different from those of a standard industrial or commercial facility. The process buildings handle energetic materials where fire or explosion risk is constant, and where the consequences of inadequate detection or delayed suppression are severe. The utility buildings that support production must be equally protected to avoid cascading failures.

The customer required a fully automated, integrated fire protection and detection solution covering 8 process and utility buildings, with centralised control and display, delivered within a short timeframe. There was no tolerance for manual intervention as the primary response mechanism: the system had to be capable of detecting and responding autonomously, at the right pressure, in the right sequence, without relying on operator action.

The core requirements were:

Automated Fire Protection System (FPS) for all process buildings, with no manual trigger dependency
Automated Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS) covering all 8 buildings
Centralised control and display at a Fire Control Room for site-wide visibility and command
PLC-based pumping station with auto-operation at specified pressure ratings
Full compliance with NFPA standards and DTIS requirements
Delivery within a very short timeframe for a complex, multi-building site

Integrated Fire Protection System (FPS) and Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS)

Johnson Controls delivered a fully integrated, dual-system solution covering fire suppression and fire detection across all 8 buildings, with every building connected to a centralised graphics-based Fire Control Room for real-time monitoring, visualisation, and command control.

Fire Protection System (FPS)

Automated deluge valve-operated Medium Velocity Water Spray (MVWS) system with open nozzle configuration, tailored to the specific risk profile of each process building. Fully PLC-based automatic pumping station with air-compressors, jockey pumps, main electrical pumps, and diesel engines, designed for auto-operation at specified pressure ratings.

Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS)

Hybrid detection architecture combining conventional systems for process buildings with addressable multisensors for utility buildings. Devices include gas detectors, heat detectors, manual call points (MCPs), hooters, and exit signages. All buildings are seamlessly connected to the centralised graphics display at the Fire Control Room.

Centralised Fire Control Room

Graphics-based centralised display connecting all 8 buildings, providing real-time monitoring, event visualisation, and command control for the entire site from a single operator station. Enables faster decision-making and coordinated response across process and utility zones simultaneously.

Standards and compliance

The entire solution is designed and commissioned to meet NFPA standards and the requirements of India's Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS), ensuring the facility meets the most stringent safety validation criteria for defence manufacturing infrastructure.

Fully automated fire protection and detection across 8 process and utility buildings at a large calibre ammunition manufacturing complex

This deployment directly supports India's Atmanirbhar Bharat agenda in defence manufacturing. A complex of this nature demands fire safety systems of the highest reliability, where failure is not an option and response must be instantaneous.

Three capabilities that defined the win

Integrated technical expertise

Johnson Controls brings proven capability in delivering fully automated, end-to-end FPS and FDAS solutions. The combination of PLC-based pumping, automated deluge suppression, and hybrid detection in a single integrated architecture is a depth of capability that standalone or fragmented vendors cannot replicate.

Proactive stakeholder engagement

Strong stakeholder relationships and forward-looking procurement practices enabled seamless execution on a compressed timeline. In a defence facility where delays have operational consequences, this proactive approach was decisive.

Total ownership from concept to commissioning

From initial design through to go-live, Johnson Controls took complete responsibility for the project, offering a single point of accountability for quality, performance, and delivery. The customer never had to coordinate between separate system vendors.

What the deployment delivers

Enhanced safety for critical defence infrastructure
The complex is now protected by a fully automated, integrated fire safety system that responds at the speed and precision that energetic material environments demand. The system's auto-operation capability removes the risk of delayed human response in the most critical scenarios.

Operational efficiency through automation and centralised monitoring

The PLC-based pumping station and centralised graphics Fire Control Room eliminate manual touchpoints from the fire response process. Security and operations personnel have site-wide visibility from a single station, enabling faster, more coordinated responses across all 8 buildings simultaneously.

Alignment with Atmanirbhar Bharat and defence digitisation
This deployment contributes directly to India's indigenous defence manufacturing capability by providing the safety infrastructure that enables a major ammunition complex to operate reliably and to the highest international standards. The integration of PLC automation and graphics-based command aligns with the Industry 4.0 trajectory of India's defence sector.

NFPA and DTIS compliance from day one
The system was designed to meet both NFPA global standards and Indian DTIS requirements, ensuring the facility is validated for defence use from commissioning. This removes a significant regulatory risk for the customer and accelerates the path to full operational status.

Customer's voice

“Your technical know-how and proactive approach have really helped keep things on track. The way you have handled challenges and kept the momentum going is genuinely appreciated. Thanks again for the commitment and teamwork. Looking forward to crossing more milestones together as the project moves ahead.”

Precision fire safety for India's defence infrastructure

This deployment is one of Johnson Controls' most technically demanding projects in the Indian defence sector. Delivering a fully automated, dual-system FPS and FDAS solution across 8 buildings of a large calibre ammunition complex, to NFPA and DTIS standards, within a compressed timeframe, required the full depth of the team's engineering expertise, procurement agility, and end-to-end accountability.

The result is a facility that is not only protected by world-class fire safety infrastructure, but one that exemplifies what is possible when technical mastery meets a genuine commitment to India's defence self-reliance.