Tata Motors announces strategic partnership with Bharat Forge & General Dynamics Land Systems for Indian FICV program

Tata Motors, who will lead the consortium, will look after the design, development and integration of mobility platforms while partner Bharat Forge will bring on board its competence with fighting platforms and manufacturing strengths. 

 

General Dynamics’ proven expertise, as a system of systems integrator (SOSI) in various integration programs, will bring in the required competency enabling Tata Motors to offer a truly indigenous solution for this ‘Make’ program.

To be developed under the ‘Make Category’, the FICV is a high mobility armoured battle vehicle to be used by the infantry. 

 

The FICV needs to be compact, tracked and amphibious, no heavier than 18-20 tonnes, so that it can be air-portable and transportable by other means, onto combat zones. The vehicle must fire anti-tank guided missiles, to ranges beyond four kilometers, with a capability to carry a crew of three and eight combat-kitted infantrymen. 

 

The FICV will replace the Indian Army's fleet of 2610 Russian-designed BMP (Sarath BMP-II) series armed vehicles, that are in operation since 1980.

Commenting on the partnership, Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors Ltd. said, “Defence particularly needs partners with long-term commitments to see products and solutions through multiple generations of evolution, and we at Tata Motors are proud to have joined hands with Bharat Forge and General Dynamics Land Systems, for a complete FICV solution for the Indian armed forces. Through this partnership we will be better positioned to help the country realize its ‘Make in India’ vision, for the first completely indigenized combat vehicle, at the same time cater to the opportunities available right here in India.”

Pisharody further added, “Committed to the highest standards, we at Tata Motors have invested time and resources towards the indigenization of our products and solutions, and are proud to have made significant progress with a working example of a wheeled prototype of the ICV, called the ICV Kestrel, developed jointly with DRDO.”

Baba N. Kalyani, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Forge Limited said, “Our proposed partnership will constitute an important milestone, to help meet the Indian Government’s objectives to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities, and particularly in land systems, with the FICV. Working with the country’s largest automotive manufacturer, will help us develop new directions for both companies and to address future requirements of the Indian Armed Forces. We look forward to an exciting future”

Donald Kotchman, Vice President, Tracked Combat Vehicles, General Dynamics Land Systems said, “We are proud to have been selected by Tata Motors Limited as a partner in order to meet the requirements of the Indian Ministry of Defence FICV program. At General Dynamics Land Systems, we have established a track record of delivering and sustaining international programs, in a timely and cost-effective manner throughout the platform’s life.  Led by Tata Motors, we look forward to working with our consortium partners in supporting the “Make in India” initiative, developing the Indian FICV.”