Army Begins Hunt For Acquiring Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs) Capable Of Retrieving Damaged Tanks And Vehicles In Battlefield

The Indian Army has started the process of acquiring 170 tracked Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARVs) that can recover damaged tanks and vehicles from the battlefield.

These ARVs should be capable of operating in various terrains, including plain, semi-desert, desert, high altitude, and mountainous areas.

On Tuesday (5 September), the Army issued a Request for Information (RFI) to Indian vendors for the procurement of these vehicles.

These vehicles are essential for recovering tanks and heavy equipment in the event of breakdowns during operations. Currently, the Army uses BEML-built WZT-3 ARVs, which are based on Russian-made T-72 tank hulls.

In response to the RFI, several Indian companies, such as the Kalyani Group, Mahindra, Tata, and L&T, are expected to participate, along with state-run BEML and others.

Given the diverse terrains in which the Army operates, the ARVs need to be versatile enough to function effectively in various environments.

These include plains, semi-desert, and desert terrains along the western borders, as well as high altitude and mountainous regions like eastern Ladakh, the central sector, and North Sikkim.

The Army has specified that the ARVs should be capable of operating under different weather conditions, both during day and night and in snowy, rainy, dusty and sandy environments.

In high altitude and mountainous regions, the ARVs must be able to endure harsh cold temperatures of -20° to -10° Celsius and maximum temperatures of 40° Celsius.

Additionally, the engine of the ARV should be able to start in extremely cold temperatures.

It should also have the capacity to carry utility equipment such as a crane, dozer, winches, general tools, special maintenance tools, and ancillary equipment required for repair and recovery operations.

Furthermore, it should be capable of being transported by existing tank transporter vehicles, IAF transport aircraft, and military bogeys on broad-gauge railways.

For self defence, the vehicle will be equipped with a Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) featuring a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun and smoke grenade launcher.