Tata Motors and Bharat Forge join hands to strengthen bid for FICV program

Tata Motors has signed a strategic agreement with ancillary maker Bharat Forge and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) from the US, in order to strengthen its bid for the Rs 60,000-crore project to design and build a Fighting Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) under Make in India in Defence program.

The automaker will lead the consortium, with Bharat Forge as a partner, while General Dynamics Land Systems will bring in its expertise in combat vehicle platforms, a company release said today.

 Tata Motors will work on the design, development and integration of mobility platforms, while Bharat Forge will bring on board its competence with fighting platforms and manufacturing strengths. General Dynamics, an integration expert, will bring in the required competency enabling Tata Motors, to offer an indigenous solution for this ‘Make’ program.

FICV Program

To be developed under the ‘Make Category’, the FICV is a high mobility armoured battle vehicle, for infantry men to keep pace with new advancements in weaponry system. 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 be equipped to fire anti-tank guided missiles, to ranges beyond four kilometres, with a capability to carry a crew of three and eight combat-kitted infantrymen. The FICV will replace the Indian Army's fleet of 2,610 Russia-designed BMP (Sarath BMP-II) series armoured vehicles which have been operational since 1980.

 Commenting on the partnership, Ravi Pisharody, executive director, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors said, “Defence particularly needs partners with long-term commitments to see products and solutions through multiple generations of evolution, and we at Tata Motors is 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 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.” 

Also commenting was Donald Kotchman, vice president, Tracked Combat Vehicles, General Dynamics Land Systems: “We are proud to have been selected by Tata Motors 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.”

The Tata Motors-led consortium’s response to the Indian Ministry of Defence Expression of Interest commits to indigenization, through various Tata group companies, that play a vital role in the Defence and Aerospace sector, also partnering with companies with most advanced competencies in the development of ICVs, for the global market. Some of the group companies involved in the Tata Motors led FICV program are Tata Advanced Systems, Tata Advanced Materials, Tata Consultancy Services, TAL Manufacturing Solutions, Tata Technologies.

Prior to this, Tata Motors has jointly developed an amphibious platform for a futuristic combat vehicle call the ICV Krestel with DRDO, which is now being offered to mechanized forces of the Indian army, for UATT (User assisted technical trials).