The Indian Army is going to take big steps to increase the security and operational capability of its soldiers. The Army has started the process of purchasing 159 new Bulletproof Troop Carriers (BPTC) for the Rashtriya Rifles units deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Army has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for this on April 30. After getting the contract under the scheme, a target has been set to deliver at least 60 vehicles every year.

What will be the specialties?

These bulletproof troop carriers will be 4×4 armored vehicles, in which a total of 30 soldiers including driver and co-driver can sit.

• Payload Capacity: About 3 tons
• Gross weight: less than 20 tons
• Ground clearance: less than 200mm

Special design for difficult areas

These vehicles will be specially designed keeping in mind the difficult areas like Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh:

• Speed ​​on road: 80-100 km/h
• Off-Road Speed: 50-75km/h
• Range: 350 km in plains, 300 km in mountains
• Altitude capability: up to 5,000 meters
• Temperature Tolerance: -10°C to +40°C

Security will be very strong

These vehicles will be provided protection as per NATO STANAG Level III, which is capable of protecting against 7.62 mm armour-piercing bullets and blasts.

• All parts of the vehicle – sides, roof, bottom and glass will be completely bulletproof.
• There will be a 360 degree rotating gunner hatch on the roof.
• 7.62 mm machine gun can be installed in it.
• There will be at least 4 firing ports on each side.

New BPTC will replace old vehicles

At present the Rashtriya Rifles has many old and limited capacity protected vehicles. New troop carriers will replace these and will increase both the safety and strength of soldiers in anti-terrorism operations. This step is considered to be a part of the modernization campaign of the Indian Army, which will make operations in high-risk areas more safe and effective.