Explained: What are the Protected Mobility Vehicles that the Army wants to purchase?

What is the News?

The Army has floated a Request for Information (RFI) to purchase Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV) for high-altitude areas and for deserts and plains.

What are Protected Mobility Vehicles(PMV)?

The PMV is essentially a wheeled armoured personnel carrier. 

It provides protection to the soldiers travelling inside the vehicle from mine blasts and sudden attacks by small arms.

What are the technical specifications of PMVs?

The PMVs must have ballistic protection and should be able to protect the vehicle from grenade and mine blasts. 

It should have a maximum speed of 90 km on road and 40 km per hour on cross country terrain. 

They should be able to operate in temperature ranges of 40 degrees centigrade to minus 15 degrees in high-altitude areas.

The PMV should be able to ford in water with a depth of 1000 mm without any special preparation.

Does India produce PMV vehicles?

India has the capability of producing PMVs. In April 2022, the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) handed over the first of such Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicles(IPMVs) to the Chief of Army Staff.

Hence, TASL is now the first private sector company in the country to produce IPMV in collaboration with the DRDO.

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained: What are the Protected Mobility Vehicles that the Army wants to purchase?” published in Indian Express on 13th May 2022.