Well I think the reason for that is if a foreign companies turret is selected then Tata gets to license manufacture it and get a share of the profit
But if another indian company makes it Tata gets nothing
Indian Army Tata Kestrel 8x8 Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier
- Thread starter WolfPack86
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But if another indian company makes it Tata gets nothing
Tuco
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Yeah. Short sighted behaviour.
Bhadra
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Here is another alternative
The two-seater combat compartment "Berezhok" is a classic BMP-2 turret. The combat module designed and produced by Tula-based KBP company (developer of Pantsir air defense system) weighs 2.8-3.3 ton and is equipped with Kornet family ATGMs, 2A42 30-mm automatic gun, AG-30M 30-mm grenade launcher and 7.62-mm PKT machine-gun.
The target acquisition system is an improved combined sight with an independent system for stabilizing the line of sight in two planes, a television and laser rangefinder channels, as well as an anti-tank guided missile guidance channel, informed the statement.
According to informed sources, “The major advantage of Berezhok module is its very potent firepower. It has four ATGM launcher tubes, while normally such modules have one or two. When also taking into account the automatic gun, grenade launchers and machine guns it becomes the most heavily armed module in the world in its class.”
The two-seater combat compartment "Berezhok" is a classic BMP-2 turret. The combat module designed and produced by Tula-based KBP company (developer of Pantsir air defense system) weighs 2.8-3.3 ton and is equipped with Kornet family ATGMs, 2A42 30-mm automatic gun, AG-30M 30-mm grenade launcher and 7.62-mm PKT machine-gun.
The target acquisition system is an improved combined sight with an independent system for stabilizing the line of sight in two planes, a television and laser rangefinder channels, as well as an anti-tank guided missile guidance channel, informed the statement.
According to informed sources, “The major advantage of Berezhok module is its very potent firepower. It has four ATGM launcher tubes, while normally such modules have one or two. When also taking into account the automatic gun, grenade launchers and machine guns it becomes the most heavily armed module in the world in its class.”
Bhadra
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The ATGM system and its requirements basically are the same as contained in Indian Army Future ICV programme with minor Changes
Requirements: The ATGM system being offered must include the ATGM and its Launcher and is intended for use in varied climatic and terrain conditions varying from extreme hot desert conditions to extremely cold high altitude regions. Following are the desired parameters of the ATGM system:
So you one sees the ATGM requirements NAG should fit the bill... as they want combined weight of missile and launcher to be around 60 kgs.
Requirements: The ATGM system being offered must include the ATGM and its Launcher and is intended for use in varied climatic and terrain conditions varying from extreme hot desert conditions to extremely cold high altitude regions. Following are the desired parameters of the ATGM system:
- The ATGM should be capable of being fired from both Vehicle Mounted and Ground Launcher.
- Night Firing and Fire and Forget capability must exist from both Vehicle and Ground Launcher.
- The offered ATGM system must have its day and night maximum range ≥ 4 Km and min range ≤ 500m. The sighting system being offered as part of system must ensure firing at maximum range. The specified parameters must be met at all ranges, all weather conditions and day & night mode.
- The penetration levels offered by the ATGM beyond ERA must be ≥ 700-800mm.
- The FSKP must be in excess of 90% at 70 -100 % of maximum range both by day and night on a static target. However, ATGM must be capable of engaging mobile targets.
- Firing in Dismounted Mode (Man Portable Mode). The weight of ATGM and Ground Launcher (including sighting and launcher system) combined must not exceed 60 Kgs. Separate sighting system will be provided for ground launcher.
- Firing in Vehicle Mode.
- At least one Twin ATGM Launcher must be provided when employing in vehicle mode.
- No separate sighting system for the ATGM is desired and it must be integrated with combined 'day and night' gunner and commander sight.
- Since it is likely that OEM for ATGM system, and, Sighting & FCS will be different, vendor must specify methodology and responsibility of integrating ATGM with Sighting and FCS. Any stipulations / restriction in collaborating with vendors of particular country or rival vendors must be mentioned.
- The ATGMs must have protection against SA fire while mounted on vehicle launcher (Combat Mode). The level of protection must be indicated.
- The ATGM must be able to defeat ERA. It must also be capable of defeating at least Soft kill Active Protection System.
So you one sees the ATGM requirements NAG should fit the bill... as they want combined weight of missile and launcher to be around 60 kgs.
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Bhadra
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Indian Army RFI does not mention styker, humvee or TATA krestel ...
It is some learned journalists who have been naming these..
However, since the asking is basically an Anti Tank platform Humvee might have been mentioned by a few.
The asking is clearly 8X8 Whap... so stryker and Kestrel come to mind..
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Okay, let’s have it your way. No ATAGS, guess Dhanush it is. Since the new procurement policy made it very clear, there won’t be ATHOS. We can buy the M777 but heck, no titanium for our guns because it will be expensive. All this trying to increase the range is pointless apparently, they should have just stuck to the bofors range and left it at that. Let the stupid Americans keep trying for that world record, it’s anyways of no use. Apparently.
WolfPack86
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The Tata Kestrel- All You need To Know
The current India-China tensions have revealed a lot of — let’s call them gaps in India’s war fighting capability.
We need missiles for the LCH, more Tejas squadrons, more oversight in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, and generally more of everything
India is a big country, and as a country, we have the will, the resources and the might to solve all problems. Everything will sort itself out, eventually.
But the need of the hour is light, fast, armored mobility on the India-China border. In the mountains of Ladakh, we need to be able to hit fast, hit hard and then move. Full frontal attacks will be useless. This is where the Tata-DRDO Wheeled Armoured Platform, or the WhAP comes into play. (WhAP = Kestrel + BMP-2 turret)
The WhAP would have to be like the de Havilland Mosquito light bomber, which played havoc in World War 2. The Mosquito was a twin-engine, all-wooden aircraft that flew as fast as the fastest aircraft the Germans could muster — the Me 262. Because of the light weight and the sheer speed, the Mosquito could penetrate enemy defenses at will, conduct recon or precision bombing missions and then speed away before Me-109s or FW-190s could get a bead on it.
According to reports, a Mosquito once helped liberate a POW camp by dropping one bomb on the main officers’ quarters, killing all of them in one shot. A lot of it was down to fine flying, but the Mosquito was itself a versatile, light survivable aircraft, and over 7,700 were made.
The Tata Kestrel, which was first introduced in 2014, has yet to be adopted en-masse by the Indian Army. Yes, there’s the FICV program (Future Infantry Combat Vehicle), but the Tata Kestrel/WhAp is here. And it’s in the now.
Here are some reasons why it makes a lot of sense as the Army’s next big-ticket purchase —
8. With Tata, the Army won’t have to worry about spare parts and on-site support, because Tata has one of the largest automotive supply chains in the world.
9. The current Indian force of Soviet-era BMPs and BTRs is in desperate need of retirement
The Tata Kestrel is often compared to the Humvee and the Stryker IFV, which may prove to be good material for an academic debate. But deal-breaker is the price, and since the Kestrel/WhAP are made in India, costs will be much lower than competitors. A 2017 article pegged the price at INR 23 crore, while the Stryker costs INR 45 crore per unit.
4. The two front wheels are steerable, and all eight wheels are of a run-flat type that can be centrally inflated or deflated, like in a modern luxury SUV. For rough terrains, the tires can be deflated, but for highway operation, they can be pumped up to normal levels of air pressure
5. The suspension is of a hydro pneumatic double-wishbone type — the compression-rebound is provided by the hydro pneumatic damper while the travel (up and down motion whenever it hits a bump) is by the double-wishbone arrangement, which is common in many large off-road vehicles
6. The body is made out of high-strength steel, composites and extra armour plating can be fitted whenever necessary. There’s no explosive reactive armour that we know of, for now.
7. The Kestrel weighs 25 tons, is 7.80 m(25.59 ft) long, 2.95 m (9.28 ft)wide, and 2.28 m (7.48 ft) high. These dimensions are huge by passenger car standards, but tanks are even larger. This makes them far more difficult to drive in urban environments. The Kestrel, on the other hand, won’t have a problem, because it’s more car than tank.
8. Propulsion is via a Cummins ISX 600 engine that can develop 600 hp and 1250 lb-ft of power and torque, and comes with a reliability rating of over 10 lakh kilometers, with Euro-III rating and a variable geometry turbocharger.
9. The use of a commercially available power plant means low smoke, higher fuel consumption and easy serviceability. Another added benefit is lower thermal emissions, which is great for night recon missions.
10. The power plant offers good performance, with a top speed of 100 kph and a range of 500 km and is undergoing tests in Eastern Ladakh for high-altitude operation.
11. Internal combustion diesel engines generally perform better in the cold, and do not break down as often as turbine engines.
12 .Since it’s a wheeled vehicle, it won’t require an overhaul of the tires or wheels for at least 10,000 km on all-terrain operation. Tanks require regular servicing of the metal tracks every 400–500 km.
13. Another thing to note is that because of the durability of the wheeled system, the Army will no longer need tracked vehicle carriers — which incidentally also happen to be Tatra 8-wheeled trucks, saving a massive quantities of time, fuel and money.
14. The Tata Kestrel/WhAp also has an amphibious drive mode, and can ford streams at speeds of up to 10kph with the help of on-board water jets
15. The Kestrel/WhAp can seat 12 people, out of which two will be the crew and the rest — either support troops, engineers or observers.
16. The seats are supposedly more comfortable than what soldiers were used to in the BMP-2 and BTR series of armoured vehicles
17. The Kestrel/WhAP has fuel tanks placed outside the crew compartment for for higher levels of safety.
18. The seats are attached to the roof for blast protection, because most land mines will be encountered on the vehicle’s path — so the blast force will be maximum on the floor. If anchored from the roof, the seats also have a higher chance of retaining structural integrity in case of a collision by another vehicle or obstruction.
19. The seating is in a back-to-back fashion, with three gun ports and vision blocks on each side for firing, and two hatches for patrolling. The single rear- opening door is hydraulically operated.
20. The Kestrel/WhAp features all the necessary life-support equipment required to operate in an NBC (nuclear, biological chemical warfare) environment — this primarily includes filtration systems, cabin pressurization and automatic climate control — features seen in the most modern armored platforms today.
21. The front end of the Kestrel features a sloped armoured plate, called a glacis plate, and is a modern design feature seen in most APCs around the world today. It is the strongest, most robust piece of armour in any armoured military vehicle.
22. Because it is sloped, it offers better protection against mines, by increasing the distance the shockwave has to travel to actually inflict any damage.
23. The main armament is a 30-mm cannon with a remote control system from Kongsberg, but could very soon be adapted to a home-made BHEL-DRDO system currently in use on other weapons systems
24. The gun fires a 30-mm round that can fire armor-piercing incendiary (API), high-explosive incendiary (HEI) and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot tracer (APFSDS-T) rounds. It has an effective range of 3,000 m.
25. Secondary armament can include 40-mm grenade launchers. a 12.7mm machine gun or anti-tank missiles (probably the Nag ATGM in the case of the WhAP)
26. Because of the use of a BMP-2 turret, the WhAP can be fitted with a 30 mm 2A42 main gun, a Kalashnikov PKT 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun, and a roof-mounted launcher for the AT-4 Spigot anti-tank missile system.
27. The BMP-2 turret means that older vehicles could be cannibalised for spares, especially armour plates and turrets, which will save a lot of money.
The Tata Kestrel is an effective fire-and-move platform, and should be high on the Indian Army’s shopping list. The defence modernisation plan has been a slow uphill fight, with government inefficiency, internal politics, and the MOD’s tendency to buy foreign over Indian. In case you didn’t know, Tata’s defence technology has proven itself in international markets. Other vehicles like the armoured Safari Storme are already being used by security forces worldwide.
The current India-China tensions have revealed a lot of — let’s call them gaps in India’s war fighting capability.
We need missiles for the LCH, more Tejas squadrons, more oversight in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, and generally more of everything
India is a big country, and as a country, we have the will, the resources and the might to solve all problems. Everything will sort itself out, eventually.
But the need of the hour is light, fast, armored mobility on the India-China border. In the mountains of Ladakh, we need to be able to hit fast, hit hard and then move. Full frontal attacks will be useless. This is where the Tata-DRDO Wheeled Armoured Platform, or the WhAP comes into play. (WhAP = Kestrel + BMP-2 turret)
The WhAP would have to be like the de Havilland Mosquito light bomber, which played havoc in World War 2. The Mosquito was a twin-engine, all-wooden aircraft that flew as fast as the fastest aircraft the Germans could muster — the Me 262. Because of the light weight and the sheer speed, the Mosquito could penetrate enemy defenses at will, conduct recon or precision bombing missions and then speed away before Me-109s or FW-190s could get a bead on it.
According to reports, a Mosquito once helped liberate a POW camp by dropping one bomb on the main officers’ quarters, killing all of them in one shot. A lot of it was down to fine flying, but the Mosquito was itself a versatile, light survivable aircraft, and over 7,700 were made.
The Tata Kestrel, which was first introduced in 2014, has yet to be adopted en-masse by the Indian Army. Yes, there’s the FICV program (Future Infantry Combat Vehicle), but the Tata Kestrel/WhAp is here. And it’s in the now.
Here are some reasons why it makes a lot of sense as the Army’s next big-ticket purchase —
- The presence of light tanks along the India-China border means the heavy Indian MBTs like the T-72 and the T-90 will win a slugging match, but will definitely lose in a fire-and-maneuver scenario
- A fire-and-maneuveur battle requires the deftness of a ninja versus the pure punching power of a heavy-weight boxer; in this case the main battle tanks.
- Our MBTs weigh up to 70 tons, making transportation of the actual weapon system a huge logistical burden every time they’re called up for action.
- The Tata Kestrel/WhAp, on the other hand, weigh less than half an MBT, and hence can move much faster
- Wheels are better than tracks on all scenarios — except on a wide, flat, sandy battlefield, like the Thar desert.
- Tata’s Kestrel is a versatile vehicle (I’ll show why in the specs section below) and can traverse a variety of terrains, be outfitted for multiple missions and also serve non-combat roles like that of an ambulance or VIP transport
8. With Tata, the Army won’t have to worry about spare parts and on-site support, because Tata has one of the largest automotive supply chains in the world.
9. The current Indian force of Soviet-era BMPs and BTRs is in desperate need of retirement
The Tata Kestrel is often compared to the Humvee and the Stryker IFV, which may prove to be good material for an academic debate. But deal-breaker is the price, and since the Kestrel/WhAP are made in India, costs will be much lower than competitors. A 2017 article pegged the price at INR 23 crore, while the Stryker costs INR 45 crore per unit.
- The Kestrel was jointly developed by Tata, DRDO and UK-based defense firm Supacat, and saw the light of day at the 2014 Defexpo.
- In the 2016 Defexpo, it was seen with a BMP-2 turret, and it was renamed to the WhAP (Wheeled Armored Platform)
- It has 8x8, meaning 8-wheel drive, which is two four-wheel-drives glued together, to provide maximum mobility in tight surfaces.
4. The two front wheels are steerable, and all eight wheels are of a run-flat type that can be centrally inflated or deflated, like in a modern luxury SUV. For rough terrains, the tires can be deflated, but for highway operation, they can be pumped up to normal levels of air pressure
5. The suspension is of a hydro pneumatic double-wishbone type — the compression-rebound is provided by the hydro pneumatic damper while the travel (up and down motion whenever it hits a bump) is by the double-wishbone arrangement, which is common in many large off-road vehicles
6. The body is made out of high-strength steel, composites and extra armour plating can be fitted whenever necessary. There’s no explosive reactive armour that we know of, for now.
7. The Kestrel weighs 25 tons, is 7.80 m(25.59 ft) long, 2.95 m (9.28 ft)wide, and 2.28 m (7.48 ft) high. These dimensions are huge by passenger car standards, but tanks are even larger. This makes them far more difficult to drive in urban environments. The Kestrel, on the other hand, won’t have a problem, because it’s more car than tank.
8. Propulsion is via a Cummins ISX 600 engine that can develop 600 hp and 1250 lb-ft of power and torque, and comes with a reliability rating of over 10 lakh kilometers, with Euro-III rating and a variable geometry turbocharger.
9. The use of a commercially available power plant means low smoke, higher fuel consumption and easy serviceability. Another added benefit is lower thermal emissions, which is great for night recon missions.
10. The power plant offers good performance, with a top speed of 100 kph and a range of 500 km and is undergoing tests in Eastern Ladakh for high-altitude operation.
11. Internal combustion diesel engines generally perform better in the cold, and do not break down as often as turbine engines.
12 .Since it’s a wheeled vehicle, it won’t require an overhaul of the tires or wheels for at least 10,000 km on all-terrain operation. Tanks require regular servicing of the metal tracks every 400–500 km.
13. Another thing to note is that because of the durability of the wheeled system, the Army will no longer need tracked vehicle carriers — which incidentally also happen to be Tatra 8-wheeled trucks, saving a massive quantities of time, fuel and money.
14. The Tata Kestrel/WhAp also has an amphibious drive mode, and can ford streams at speeds of up to 10kph with the help of on-board water jets
15. The Kestrel/WhAp can seat 12 people, out of which two will be the crew and the rest — either support troops, engineers or observers.
16. The seats are supposedly more comfortable than what soldiers were used to in the BMP-2 and BTR series of armoured vehicles
17. The Kestrel/WhAP has fuel tanks placed outside the crew compartment for for higher levels of safety.
18. The seats are attached to the roof for blast protection, because most land mines will be encountered on the vehicle’s path — so the blast force will be maximum on the floor. If anchored from the roof, the seats also have a higher chance of retaining structural integrity in case of a collision by another vehicle or obstruction.
19. The seating is in a back-to-back fashion, with three gun ports and vision blocks on each side for firing, and two hatches for patrolling. The single rear- opening door is hydraulically operated.
20. The Kestrel/WhAp features all the necessary life-support equipment required to operate in an NBC (nuclear, biological chemical warfare) environment — this primarily includes filtration systems, cabin pressurization and automatic climate control — features seen in the most modern armored platforms today.
21. The front end of the Kestrel features a sloped armoured plate, called a glacis plate, and is a modern design feature seen in most APCs around the world today. It is the strongest, most robust piece of armour in any armoured military vehicle.
22. Because it is sloped, it offers better protection against mines, by increasing the distance the shockwave has to travel to actually inflict any damage.
23. The main armament is a 30-mm cannon with a remote control system from Kongsberg, but could very soon be adapted to a home-made BHEL-DRDO system currently in use on other weapons systems
24. The gun fires a 30-mm round that can fire armor-piercing incendiary (API), high-explosive incendiary (HEI) and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot tracer (APFSDS-T) rounds. It has an effective range of 3,000 m.
25. Secondary armament can include 40-mm grenade launchers. a 12.7mm machine gun or anti-tank missiles (probably the Nag ATGM in the case of the WhAP)
26. Because of the use of a BMP-2 turret, the WhAP can be fitted with a 30 mm 2A42 main gun, a Kalashnikov PKT 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun, and a roof-mounted launcher for the AT-4 Spigot anti-tank missile system.
27. The BMP-2 turret means that older vehicles could be cannibalised for spares, especially armour plates and turrets, which will save a lot of money.
The Tata Kestrel is an effective fire-and-move platform, and should be high on the Indian Army’s shopping list. The defence modernisation plan has been a slow uphill fight, with government inefficiency, internal politics, and the MOD’s tendency to buy foreign over Indian. In case you didn’t know, Tata’s defence technology has proven itself in international markets. Other vehicles like the armoured Safari Storme are already being used by security forces worldwide.
WolfPack86
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WolfPack86
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WhAP, Light Strike Vehicle, and APC are seen making a beeline to Ladhak for fresh trials.
Indian OSNIT community has provided pictures of the Army owned WhAP 8 x 8 Amphibious Wheeled Armoured Vehicle getting offloaded from IAF’s C-17 Transporter presumably plans to procure 200 armored fighting vehicles for deployment in different sectors in the frontier with Pakistan has been fast-tracked Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Army had recently announced its plan to procure 198 wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) for reconnaissance and support to tank regiments in mechanised warfare. Army owned WhAP equipped with Anti-Tank missiles could be ordered soon as per media reports and the Government is also keen to procure more of them at later stages. Picture of Kalyani M4 a 4×4 armored protected fighting vehicle, Paramount Maverick 4-Wheeled Light Armored Internal Security Vehicle, and WER’WOLF Mk II Modular Mine Protected Vehicle has been also doing round which has been also moved to Ladhak for the last leg of trials before the winner is announced.
Indian OSNIT community has provided pictures of the Army owned WhAP 8 x 8 Amphibious Wheeled Armoured Vehicle getting offloaded from IAF’s C-17 Transporter presumably plans to procure 200 armored fighting vehicles for deployment in different sectors in the frontier with Pakistan has been fast-tracked Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Army had recently announced its plan to procure 198 wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) for reconnaissance and support to tank regiments in mechanised warfare. Army owned WhAP equipped with Anti-Tank missiles could be ordered soon as per media reports and the Government is also keen to procure more of them at later stages. Picture of Kalyani M4 a 4×4 armored protected fighting vehicle, Paramount Maverick 4-Wheeled Light Armored Internal Security Vehicle, and WER’WOLF Mk II Modular Mine Protected Vehicle has been also doing round which has been also moved to Ladhak for the last leg of trials before the winner is announced.
WolfPack86
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WhAP Kestrel APC will be equipped with RCWS. It will possibly be equipped with the same 12.7 mm NSV based RCWS mounted on Arjun Mk. 1A. Equipped with Tobo Imaging ELPEOS integrated LRF, ballistic computer, inbuilt video stab. and target tracker.
WolfPack86
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Pictured shared by
@DattaArkaprava
before it landed at LEH, one can speculate it`s a RCWS & it`s seems from size it`s a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd - Samson RCWS-30 / Samson Duel mounted on #TATA kestrel
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DRDO-TATA Designed Made-In-India Eight Wheeled Armoured Personal Carriers Undergo Trials In Ladakh
In the last few weeks, the Indian Army has been operating on full throttle to deploy its most proficient equipment at Ladakh to prepare for any encounter against the Chinese People Liberation Army.
India Today has reported that eight wheeled armoured personnel carrier for infantry troops that are designed and made in India are undergoing trials at Leh.
DRDO-TATA WhaP armoured vehicles being offloaded from an IAF's IL-78 transport aircraft
The vehicles will undergo high-altitude winter trials and could be efficient at transporting the troops and aiding them to occupy strategic heights too. Moreover, the carriers will also undergo tests at Depsang to assess the engine and functioning systems of the artillery.
The report mentions that a successful examination of these newly stationed carriers could cause a tremendous advancement in India’s infantry combat vehicles operation.
These are wheeled equipment that tend to be much quicker, swifter, amphibious, and can be airlifted in numbers at several vital points across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
It was mentioned that these vehicles could be posted at the Pangong Tso lake, Chumar and Daulat Beg Oldi to strengthen the armed forces. Furthermore, it is designed by the DRDO, stressing on the steps being taken by the government to become self-reliant in the defence sector.
www.indiandefensenews.in
In the last few weeks, the Indian Army has been operating on full throttle to deploy its most proficient equipment at Ladakh to prepare for any encounter against the Chinese People Liberation Army.
India Today has reported that eight wheeled armoured personnel carrier for infantry troops that are designed and made in India are undergoing trials at Leh.
DRDO-TATA WhaP armoured vehicles being offloaded from an IAF's IL-78 transport aircraft
The vehicles will undergo high-altitude winter trials and could be efficient at transporting the troops and aiding them to occupy strategic heights too. Moreover, the carriers will also undergo tests at Depsang to assess the engine and functioning systems of the artillery.The report mentions that a successful examination of these newly stationed carriers could cause a tremendous advancement in India’s infantry combat vehicles operation.
These are wheeled equipment that tend to be much quicker, swifter, amphibious, and can be airlifted in numbers at several vital points across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
It was mentioned that these vehicles could be posted at the Pangong Tso lake, Chumar and Daulat Beg Oldi to strengthen the armed forces. Furthermore, it is designed by the DRDO, stressing on the steps being taken by the government to become self-reliant in the defence sector.
DRDO-TATA Designed Made-In-India Eight Wheeled Armoured Personal Carriers Undergo Trials In Ladakh
DRDO-TATA designed Eight Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier In the last few weeks, the Indian Army has been operating on full thro...
WolfPack86
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India Deploys Amphibious Armoured Vehicles In Eastern Ladakh To Counter Chinese Build-Up?
Today, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that no force in the world can stop Indian army soldiers from patrolling the country’s border in Ladakh region.
“I want to make it clear, skirmishes and face-off are because of this (issue of patrolling),” he said, adding the patrolling pattern is traditional and well defined. “No force in the world can stop Indian soldiers from patrolling. Our soldiers have sacrificed their lives only for this,” the minister said.
Earlier, the Chinese PLA was seen deploying load-bearing hexacopter drones to carry supplies to the inhospitable border region, the Indian forces have been keen to conduct high-altitude trials of its latest military hardware.
Recently, images revealed by Indian Twitterati have disclosed the presence of two new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in Ladakh undergoing cold weather trials.
These two vehicles are the TATA-DRDO WhAP (also known as Kestrel), and the Kalyani M4 light strike vehicle.
The TATA-DRDO WhAP (aka Kestrel)
Developed jointly by India’s state-owned DRDO and private industrial giant TATA, the Kestrel is an 8-wheeled Amphibious Armoured Personnel Carrier, capable of attaining speeds of 100 km/hr on road and 10 km/hr in water.
Being an amphibious vehicle, the Kestrel gives a significant advantage to the troops – not halting for bridges to be laid down by engineers when encountered with a small river or similar hydrological formations. The new APC shall replace the BMP-1s and BMP-2/2Ks in Indian service, which, too, are amphibious.
The Kestrel can be configured to various modifications and has been seen with the Protector Remotely Controlled Weapon Station, Elbit UT30MK2 30mm turret, and a BMP-2 30mm turret as its main armament, while secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun.
However, with the new BMP-2 upgrades being sought after by the Indian Army to fill in the vacuum until Kestrel is deemed fit for service, the critical gap between the Soviet-era BMPs and the modern APCs remains. The ongoing brawl at Ladakh and subsequent testing might see hastening of the development and acquisition process.
The Kalyani M-4
Although primarily manufactured by a South Korean company named Paramount Group, the Mbombe-4 (M-4) is a 4-wheeled Light Armoured vehicle- bridging the gap of an APC and an armored car.
According to experts, partnered with the Tata Kestrel, the Kalyani M4 makes an interesting combination of armor and speed. While the Kestrel provides the armored punch that spearheads an assault, the M4 will back it up with its speed, maneuverability, and ease of maintenance.
According to the company specifications, the Kalyani M4 can go up to the speeds of 140 km/h while carrying 6 crew members including the driver.
The Indian forces are also testing the HAL-built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Rudra attack helicopter and has just reached a milestone by completing high-altitude trials of the HAL’s light utility helicopter (LUH).
eurasiantimes.com
Today, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that no force in the world can stop Indian army soldiers from patrolling the country’s border in Ladakh region.
“I want to make it clear, skirmishes and face-off are because of this (issue of patrolling),” he said, adding the patrolling pattern is traditional and well defined. “No force in the world can stop Indian soldiers from patrolling. Our soldiers have sacrificed their lives only for this,” the minister said.
Earlier, the Chinese PLA was seen deploying load-bearing hexacopter drones to carry supplies to the inhospitable border region, the Indian forces have been keen to conduct high-altitude trials of its latest military hardware.
Recently, images revealed by Indian Twitterati have disclosed the presence of two new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) in Ladakh undergoing cold weather trials.
These two vehicles are the TATA-DRDO WhAP (also known as Kestrel), and the Kalyani M4 light strike vehicle.
The TATA-DRDO WhAP (aka Kestrel)
Developed jointly by India’s state-owned DRDO and private industrial giant TATA, the Kestrel is an 8-wheeled Amphibious Armoured Personnel Carrier, capable of attaining speeds of 100 km/hr on road and 10 km/hr in water.
Being an amphibious vehicle, the Kestrel gives a significant advantage to the troops – not halting for bridges to be laid down by engineers when encountered with a small river or similar hydrological formations. The new APC shall replace the BMP-1s and BMP-2/2Ks in Indian service, which, too, are amphibious.
The Kestrel can be configured to various modifications and has been seen with the Protector Remotely Controlled Weapon Station, Elbit UT30MK2 30mm turret, and a BMP-2 30mm turret as its main armament, while secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun.
However, with the new BMP-2 upgrades being sought after by the Indian Army to fill in the vacuum until Kestrel is deemed fit for service, the critical gap between the Soviet-era BMPs and the modern APCs remains. The ongoing brawl at Ladakh and subsequent testing might see hastening of the development and acquisition process.
The Kalyani M-4
Although primarily manufactured by a South Korean company named Paramount Group, the Mbombe-4 (M-4) is a 4-wheeled Light Armoured vehicle- bridging the gap of an APC and an armored car.
According to experts, partnered with the Tata Kestrel, the Kalyani M4 makes an interesting combination of armor and speed. While the Kestrel provides the armored punch that spearheads an assault, the M4 will back it up with its speed, maneuverability, and ease of maintenance.
According to the company specifications, the Kalyani M4 can go up to the speeds of 140 km/h while carrying 6 crew members including the driver.
The Indian forces are also testing the HAL-built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Rudra attack helicopter and has just reached a milestone by completing high-altitude trials of the HAL’s light utility helicopter (LUH).
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dats for amphibious ops....whenever kestral is in water that plate will come out....i think for better floating
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To break waves & now allow the nose to torpedo into water. Basically this effect but small scale.
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