The Indian Army is finishing the technical specifications for the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV), which will progressively replace T-72 tanks. According to reports, the first prototype will be ready in four years, with inductions beginning in 2030.
Indian Army to Procure Fast Track Future Ready Combat Vehicle
The Army is considering the FRCV (Future Ready Combat Vehicle) to meet ‘future capabilities requirements and boost overall operational effectiveness index’ across a variety of terrains. The FRCV’s role will be to offer multiple options for rapid operational employment.
The project is now in the feasibility study stage, according to the source, and will be followed by the release of the Preliminary Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) in a few months. PSQR is one of the techniques used in capital procurement to conduct a preliminary assessment of critical and desirable parameters. According to sources, the prototype should be ready in about four years, after which trials and production will begin, which will take around two years before deliveries can begin.
Also read: Indian Army To Upgrade 1,400 T-72 M1 Tanks
The Army plans to buy 1,700 tanks in three stages. The Army anticipates that each phase will provide approximately 550-600 tanks. However, this is dependent on the production rate and the agencies chosen to manufacture the FRCV. In June 2021, the Army issued a Request for Information (RFI) for FRCV. The procurement project has received Approval in Principle (AIP) under the Make-I Category, which includes government funding of up to 90%, released in phases based on project progress.
The FRCV will be developed under the Make-I category, which includes the ‘Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured’ (IDDM) component, which requires not only that the platform be designed indigenously, but also that it contains at least 50% indigenous content.
According to sources, the decision on which components to import will be made by the two agencies that will be chosen and paid to construct these platforms — as long as the 50 per cent indigenous content threshold is met. The FRCV is planned to continue in service for 35-45 years after it is commissioned.
Future Ready Combat Vehicle: Weight, Firepower of FRCV
As of now, the combat weight of the FRCV is expected to be no more than 60 tonnes, as opposed to the 45-ton T-72 tanks that they aspire to replace. The FRCV would be meant to transport four troops. Furthermore, the Army has shown a desire to carry the FRCV through aircraft, ships, rail, and road.
In terms of firepower and lethality, the main gun’s calibre is expected to be 120 mm or higher, capable of engaging targets in static and dynamic mode by day and night using appropriate ammunition. Previously, the project was under the Strategic Partnership Model (SPM), which requires a foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to collaborate with an Indian partner to produce military systems in the country.
The FRCV is one of six major Make-I projects in various stages of development, alongside Light Tanks, Tactical Communication Systems, and the Terminal End Secrecy Device, among others. The Terminal End Secrecy Device – a single portable device allowing end-to-end secure transmission of speech, data, and text — could allow formation commanders to securely communicate sensitive material.
The Army is also buying specialised technologies such as logistic and nano drones, counter-drones, loitering munitions, Unarmed Aerial Vehicle-launched precision-guided missiles, and Automatic Spectrum Monitoring Systems under various programmes and categories of the Make in India initiative.
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