Indian Army wants 200 armored fighting vehicles for Pakistan border.

Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian Army is looking for close to 200 armored fighting vehicles for deployment in different sectors in the frontier with Pakistan, Shaurya Karanbir Gurung reports in the India Times.

Indian army BRDM (Picture source: Vikramaadityasumbria)

The Indian army recently announced its plan to procure 198 wheeled armored fighting vehicles (AFV) for reconnaissance and support to tank regiments in mechanized warfare. The vehicles are meant for replacing the army’s ageing Soviet origin BRDM combat reconnaissance patrol vehicles. The requirement came out in a Request for Information issued for procuring these AFVs.

The army plans to use these AFVs in the plain sectors of Punjab and Rajasthan. It wants that these AFVs should be able to operate in not only developed areas in this region but in riverine terrain as well. The army wants AFVs that have a service life of 32 years minimum and which can operate in temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius and as low as 0 degree. It has also made it clear that the AFV should have a payload of at least 2 tons, which should include ammunition and four crew members. Importantly, the AFV should be transportable by Ilyushin Il-76 “Candid” and Boeing C-17 “Globemaster III” transport aircraft and by railway, which will allow the army to quickly mobilize this specialized fleet in the regions that it wants during a contingency.

While the army has a requirement of AFVs that can reach about 80 km/h on roads and cross-country, the need is also being felt for its amphibious use in water. It also wants the AFV to have two twin long range Anti-Tank Guided Missiles with the ‘fire and forget capability’ and a hit probability of more than 90 % and a range of 4 km. It also needs a man portable ATGM launcher. This will allow troops who dismount from the AFV to fire the same missile that is meant for the launcher on the vehicle.

The army has pointed out that the main gun of the AFV should be a 30mm cannon with a 7.62mm machine gun with an internal storage facility for the two weapons. It also needs AFV for protection from Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) contamination. The AFV will also have its own protection system from ATGM and rocket-propelled grenades.

The army has invited responses to its request from Indian vendors who have tie-ups with foreign original equipment manufacturers. The army plans to procure this through the Buy Indian (IDDM- Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured). However, considering the high number of purchase procedures India has regularly repeatedly delayed – if not canceled even when final documents were signed –, one may wonder what will happen with this new call for proposals.