Gandhinagar: Keeping in mind the ongoing tension with China in eastern Ladakh, the Army has ordered more M4 armored vehicles from the Pune-based defense company Bharat Forge of the Kalyani Group, ThePrint has learned.
Defense establishment sources said some of these vehicles are now being integrated with the Israeli Spike anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) as China has deployed heavy armor in the mountains.
He said the Kalyani group has already donated about 60 of these vehicles to the army, including a batch of 30 for the UN peacekeeping force.
Sources said that the initial order for these vehicles in February Last year 30, additional orders were soon placed.
He disclosed the exact numbers but said the orders were being executed in batches with modifications depending on how they were performing under the Northern Command.
Apart from the ATGM, the Army is also looking at the possibility of increasing the capability of the 7.62 mm gun to 20 mm with the automatic turret.
The army needs wheeled armored vehicles that can move soldiers fast and are capable of operating in high altitude areas.
The M4, a product of the South African weapons firm Paramount Group, is a multi-role platform designed for the armed forces’ requirements for rapid mobility in rough terrain and in areas prone to mine and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) threats. designed to fulfill.
Due to its design built on a flat-floor monocoque hull, it has ballistic and blast protection against TNT side blasts of up to 50 kg, IEDs and roadside bombs. As mentioned earlier, with a top speed of 140 kmph, the vehicle has a payload of 2.3 tonnes and an operating range of around 800 km.
The automatic transmission-capable vehicle can carry 10 soldiers including the driver and has a cooling and heating system, making it ideal for both desert and high altitudes.
Sources in the Kalyani Group said Bharat Forge has been able to indigenise around 95 per cent of the vehicles, with only 5 per cent being imported from outside.
While its plant in Pune currently has a capacity to manufacture 40 vehicles per year, the firm plans to increase this to 100 soon, sources said.
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