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Private Players Emerging As Perferred Partner For BMP-2 Upgrade
The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided not to give an exclusive order to state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to upgrade the Indian Army's Russian-made BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV) and instead has floated a global request for information (RFI) to seek participation by domestic and global defense companies in the upgrade program.
However, the final tender will only be given to domestic defense companies, according to a source in the MoD.
Indian defense companies have begun a tie-up with overseas defense majors in the runup to the formal tender to upgrade 1,500 BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles.
For fire-control systems (FCS) and thermal imaging sights, India's private sector company Alpha Design has teamed with Elop of Israel. TATA Power SED is still scouting for an overseas partner, whereas state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has teamed with Thales of France.
For co-producing anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), private sector defense major Bharat Forge has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rafael Advanced Systems.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have teamed up with MBDA of France; Reliance Defence has teamed up with Rosoboronexport of Russia; and OFB and state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) have also both tied up separately with Rosoboronexport of Russia.
Defense companies Mahindra Defence and Punj Lloyd have not yet finalized their global partners.
According to a senior Indian Army procurement official, the likely domestic contenders in the BMP-2 upgrade are Mahindra Defence, Bharat Forge, Tata Power SED, Punj Lloyd, L&T, BDL, and OFB.
An RFI was issued in 2014 but was withdrawn for unknown reasons. The latest RFI specifies that the overseas defense company will have to transfer technology to the domestic company as the program will be in the Make in India category, an MoD source said.
The official said the Army's push to upgrade the BMP-2 has not yielded results. The first RFI was sent in 2009, followed by another in 2012.
After coming to power, the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued an RFI in 2014 to domestic companies. However, there has been little response, the official added.
A defense analyst, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, as Defexpo said: "The transfer of technology by global defense companies for the upgrade could be a stumbling factor."
The upgrade of the BMP-2 will include increasing the mobility with change in engine, transmission, gear and suspension system, cooling system, weapons system and ammunition, gunner sighting (day and night), commander sighting, FCS, ATGM, level of protection, and maintainability.
The upgraded BMP-2s will also be fitted with the latest generation of FCS, twin ATGM launchers, 30mm automatic grenade launchers and commander's thermal imaging panoramic sights.
The Indian Army wants to have a new 380-hp engine to enhance the vehicle's cross-country mobility, replacing the existing Russian 285-hp engine. There are around 2,000 BMP-2 vehicles in operation.
The upgradation of the BMP-2 is a time-gap arrangement following the delay of the FICV project, which was conceived in 2008. The BMP-2 upgrade will in no way derail the FICV project, the Indian Army official said
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2016/04/private-players-emerging-as-preferred.html
The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided not to give an exclusive order to state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to upgrade the Indian Army's Russian-made BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV) and instead has floated a global request for information (RFI) to seek participation by domestic and global defense companies in the upgrade program.
However, the final tender will only be given to domestic defense companies, according to a source in the MoD.
Indian defense companies have begun a tie-up with overseas defense majors in the runup to the formal tender to upgrade 1,500 BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles.
For fire-control systems (FCS) and thermal imaging sights, India's private sector company Alpha Design has teamed with Elop of Israel. TATA Power SED is still scouting for an overseas partner, whereas state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has teamed with Thales of France.
For co-producing anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), private sector defense major Bharat Forge has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rafael Advanced Systems.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have teamed up with MBDA of France; Reliance Defence has teamed up with Rosoboronexport of Russia; and OFB and state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) have also both tied up separately with Rosoboronexport of Russia.
Defense companies Mahindra Defence and Punj Lloyd have not yet finalized their global partners.
According to a senior Indian Army procurement official, the likely domestic contenders in the BMP-2 upgrade are Mahindra Defence, Bharat Forge, Tata Power SED, Punj Lloyd, L&T, BDL, and OFB.
An RFI was issued in 2014 but was withdrawn for unknown reasons. The latest RFI specifies that the overseas defense company will have to transfer technology to the domestic company as the program will be in the Make in India category, an MoD source said.
The official said the Army's push to upgrade the BMP-2 has not yielded results. The first RFI was sent in 2009, followed by another in 2012.
After coming to power, the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued an RFI in 2014 to domestic companies. However, there has been little response, the official added.
A defense analyst, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, as Defexpo said: "The transfer of technology by global defense companies for the upgrade could be a stumbling factor."
The upgrade of the BMP-2 will include increasing the mobility with change in engine, transmission, gear and suspension system, cooling system, weapons system and ammunition, gunner sighting (day and night), commander sighting, FCS, ATGM, level of protection, and maintainability.
The upgraded BMP-2s will also be fitted with the latest generation of FCS, twin ATGM launchers, 30mm automatic grenade launchers and commander's thermal imaging panoramic sights.
The Indian Army wants to have a new 380-hp engine to enhance the vehicle's cross-country mobility, replacing the existing Russian 285-hp engine. There are around 2,000 BMP-2 vehicles in operation.
The upgradation of the BMP-2 is a time-gap arrangement following the delay of the FICV project, which was conceived in 2008. The BMP-2 upgrade will in no way derail the FICV project, the Indian Army official said
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2016/04/private-players-emerging-as-preferred.html
