Army plans to deploy futuristic combat vehicles along LAC

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 24

The Ministry of Defence on Thursday revived the much delayed project to have modern infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) to replace the Army’s Russian ICVs, called BMPs. These vehicles are used to carry infantry into the battlefield and are equipped with anti-tank missiles and heavy guns.

Called futuristic infantry combat vehicles (FICVs), nearly 1,750 are intended to be made for operations in the plains and deserts along the western borders. The FICVs will also be used for high altitude — up to 5,000 m — in the Himalayas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. These would be eastern Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and north Sikkim. At present, some BMPs and T-72 are stationed in the Himalayas.

The Army looks to use the FICVs to destroy enemy tanks, armoured personnel carriers, combat vehicles, low-flying helicopters and ground-based weapon platforms and positions. It should be able to operate in a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environment, including across water bodies.

The project intends to replace a part of the fleet comprising 3,000 Russian BMPs. The tender bid called the request for information was uploaded on the Army website today.

The FICVs are intended to move on tank tracks.