Source : Financial Express
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| The Indian Army has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure 300 logistics rough terrain vehicles (Lgs RTV) |
The Indian Army has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure 300 Logistics Rough Terrain Vehicles (Lgs RTVs). These rough terrain vehicles are required for the transportation of the military in medium to high-altitude areas.
The procurement will take place under emergency power granted to the Armed Forces which makes the acquisition process much faster. This procurement of Lgs RTVs will be processed under Buy (Indian) category of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 through Fast Track Procedure.
The RFP mandates that these vehicles should be able to operate at an altitude of 16,000 feet. Their ability to operate in snow-covered undulating terrain with long endurance makes them ideally suitable for last-mile delivery (LMD) tasks, the RFP said.
Stringent criteria for Lgs RTV
The army puts stringent criteria for such vehicles which must be able to operate under extreme temperatures. The RFP mentions the minimum operating temperature range as between minus 20 degrees C to minus 10 degrees C while the maximum temperature range must be between 40 degrees C to 45 degrees C.
Describing the equipment, the army says Lgs RTV must be highly mobile, multi-configurable, rough terrain capable vehicles for employment in medium to high altitude areas. The vehicle must have high off-road capabilities in inaccessible terrain to be able to operate on existing Animal Transport (AT) tracks and does not require any other specific tracks for their movement.
The RFP also mandates that the vehicle should be based on the concept that it can quickly be customised for different missions from loading to evacuating casualties during an operation.
According to army officials, the procurement is being carried out through an Open Tender Enquiry and will be decided by an Empowered Committee (EC). According to the army’s stringent timelines, the delivery of the equipment must be completed within 12 months from the date of signing of the contract.
The RFP also highlights the key aspect of Heliportability which means that the RTVs can be lifted or transported, using the existing fleet of Chinook/Mi- 26 helicopters. Besides, the vehicle should also have a roll cage or a rollover protection system.
The Army’s mountainous challenge
The rough terrain vehicle family consists of light, tactical, off-road vehicles designed and manufactured specifically for use by military and highly trained law enforcement officers.
The most unique aspect of RTVs is the ability to carry multiple payloads due to unique payload integration technology basis the customisation.
The Indian army has been scouting for such capabilities in light of recent India- China standoffs across the high-altitude terrain. This adds to the forces’ ability to improve upon the troops-to-ground ratio giving personnel greater flexibility in movement.
The Indian army has to operate across vast High-Altitude Areas (HAA) and rough terrain regions which are accessible only by road and air. In fact, these areas are only open for a few months. Besides the troop movement, the army needs steady supplies throughout the year during deployment.
The Indian army maintains a huge contingent of troops—more than 12 divisions – across the HHA region which makes it the largest mountain fighting force in the world.
