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lend itself for future upgrades through simple modifications Light Tank for High-Altitude
and facilitate subsequent development of family of Armoured
Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) such as Command-Control ICV, APC, The MoD is also pursuing the procurement of
Armoured Ambulance, Mortar Carrier, Command Post Vehicle, approximately 350 light tanks and the last date
Reconnaissance & Surveillance Vehicle, Nuclear Biological Chemical for responses to the RFI has been extended to
(NBC) Reconnaissance Vehicle, Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle, July 31. The need for an agile and mobile light
Armoured Recovery Vehicle etc. A vehicle service / operational life platform with adequate firepower, protection, [ LAND SYSTEMS ]
of at least 32 years with maximum one overhaul / repair intervention surveillance and communication capabilities is A GBP PUBLICA TION
has been asked for. increasingly finding operational relevance with
India now forced into a high-altitude deploy-
Given the complex nature of AFV Design & Development and ment of forces on the Himalayas. The RFI calls
requirement to integrate several major systems in the FICV(Tr), the for a light weight versatile weapon platform
MoD is looking to implement a three-stage induction model. This with enhanced tactical/operational/strategic
new induction model is also being proposed to cater for the rapid mobility which will provide greater options for
pace of technological changes over next 18-20 years considering its employment in High Altitude Areas (HAA),
the induction schedule of 75-100 FICVs per year. The RFI asks that marginal terrain and amphibious operations
the contract be delivered in three stages: Stage-I: Limited Series etc. India is also keen to acquire manufactur-
Production (LSP), where approximately 10% of the total quantity ing knowhow for the light tank and the recently
@ 75-100 fully formed FICV(Tr) are delivered per year over a two issued RFI sets a weight limit of 25 tonne for
year period; Stage-II: Product Improvement, where approximately the light tank with a power to weight ratio of
40% of the total quantity (700 nos) are delivered over the next not less than 25:1 HP/tonne.
6-7 yrs @100 FICV(Tr) per year. These quantities would also need
incorporate product improvements learnt from exploitation of the
LSP batches; Stage-III: This batch will comprise of the final batch Media reports have indicated the Army’s pref-
of approximately 875 FICV(Tr) which feature technical upgrades, erence for the Russian SPRUT-SDM1 Light
besides product improvement aspects obtained from Stage-II pro- Amphibious Tank (LAT) which is designed to
duction. provide fire support for units fighting against
heavily armoured materiel, destroy enemy
strongholds and fortifications and undertake
battle reconnaissance and combat security.
Russia’s TASS new agency reported on June
26 that trials in Russia for the SDM-1 are sched-
uled for early 2022 and serial production would
commence on its completion. The SDM1 has a
fully loaded weight of 21 tonne with a crew of
three and is fitted with a 125mm 2A75 cannon
that can fire guided missiles, Armour Piercing
Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS), High
Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and High-Explosive
Fragmentation (HEF) projectiles. It also fea-
tures a Remote Controlled Weapon Station
(RCWS) with a 7.62mm machine gun along with
a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

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