DRDO to be part of FRCV project

The Indian Army on Monday said there is a plan to incorporate DRDO as a technological partner in the proposed Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) project, which had raised eyebrows among officials of the premier defence research agency of the country.

Stating that the army plans to adopt a novel approach for designing and developing its future category of battle tanks, sources said that a recent tender issued by the Directorate General of Mechanised Forces (DGMF) aims to identify and seek willingness of established tank designers, design bureaus and agencies to participate in a design competition.

“The FRCV is planned to be developed on a modular concept so as to support the subsequent development of at least 10 different variants, including light tanks, trawls, etc.,” the army sources said.

The development of FRCV, aimed at replacing the T-72 fleet of tanks, is proposed to be Service HQ 

driven and managed by a dedicated FRCV Project Management Team (F-PMT), they added.

“Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is planned to be incorporated in the project as technological partner, for expert inputs in the FRCV development,” it said weeks after senior officials of the agency had expressed surprise at the army’s move to invite proposals as it was already working on technology for a futuristic tank – the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT).