Hinduja flagship, Ashok Leyland, the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army, today announced their entry into the armoured vehicles space with the unveiling of three new products – Armoured Stallion, Armoured Bus and Mine Protected Vehicle – at DEFEXPO 2010.
“Our entry into armoured vehicles is in answer to an ever-increasing demand from the Armed Forces for well-engineered, high-mobility, high protection, tactical vehicles that can be used in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations,” said Mr. Vinod K Dasari, Chief Operating Officer and Whole Time Director, Ashok Leyland. “Over the last three decades we have been playing a pivotal role in the modernization of the Indian Army and with these new tactical offerings and more on the anvil, we are well-placed to engage the Armed Forces on more fronts in terms of product opportunities and also look at new geographies,” he added.
Ashok Leyland has over 55,000 special purpose vehicles in service with the Defence forces that include the Stallion 4x4, Light Recovery Vehicles, Water Bowzers, Truck Fire Fighters and Field Artillery Tractors. The Indian sub-continent with its diversity and complexity of terrains, provides an ideal proving ground and the Company’s special applications vehicles have been performing in altitudes varying from sea level to over 5,500 meters above sea level and in temperatures ranging from –40 Degrees Celsius to +55 Degrees Celsius.
All these three new products showcased at the Expo have been developed using the standard Stallion aggregates and components to ensure commonality of items, ease of maintenance and repairs, thereby significantly improving the uptime of the vehicles.
MINE PROTECTED VEHICLE (MPV)
The MPV is an all-wheel drive (4x4), multipurpose, all-terrain vehicle with high mobility, high protection and multi-mission capabilities. With a power-to-weight ratio of 13.5 kW/T, it is a versatile performer even in the worst of terrains. It can attain a maximum speed of 90 Km/hr with a road range of 1000+ kms. It offers STANAG level 1 protection i.e. protection against 7.62 SLR Ball, 5.56 INSAS and 7.62 AK-47/56 Rifle and double anti tank mine blast protection - 14 kg TNT under hull and triple anti tank mine protection - 21 kg TNT under wheels whereby it exceeds STANAG 4569 level 4 protection.
The design of the vehicle lends itself for easy adaptation to a number of applications such as Troop Carriers, Armoured Personnel Carriers, Command Vehicles, Border Patrols, Riot Control, Internal Security and Counter Terrorism.
Additional features like Run Flat Inserts (RFI), Roof Mounted Air Conditioners, Radios + Intercom Systems, 8 T Winch, GPS Navigation, Weapon Stations, Gun Mounts, Gun Ports, Add-on Armour Kits can also be provided.
MULTI-PURPOSE ARMOURED CARRIER ON STALLION 4X4
The highly successful Stallion 4x4 vehicle has been upgraded with an armoured cab and load body for combat war superiority without any compromise on the vehicle operational parameters. It provides base line protection against AK-47 Kalashnikov 7.62x 39 mm on both the sleeper cab and load body. Armoured Stallion has a variety of uses such as Troop Carriers, Support Logistics, Riot Control, Communication Vehicles, Command Posts and Ambulance.
Optional items like an air conditioned cab, roof hatch with a provision to mount Light Machine Guns, spall liners on the roof for splinter protection, Run Flat tyres, radiator louvers, Engine Side Shield, fuel tank protection and anti ignition can also be provided.
ARMOURED BUS
The Armoured bus has been developed in response to the Indian Army’s requirement to transport army personnel and their families in insurgency infected areas and it has been engineered to provide all-round protection. A unique feature of this bus is its roof hung floor. The seats in the bus are mounted on a floor which is hung from the roof that will protect the passengers from shock waves that are generated due to a blast under the vehicle.
All the seats are provided with seat belts to prevent the passengers from injury due to roll over in case of a blast. The floor is covered by spall liners that give protects against the shrapnel and secondary projectiles from the floor.
All round protection against 7.62 x 51 ball (SLR) 5.56 mm INSAS and AK – 47/56 at a distance of 10m have been provided.
