Army to buy 650 HMVs with cranes for mobility along LAC, Pakistan border

Officials said that while the HMVs will boost the Army’s capability of transporting heavy ammunition across terrains, the material handling crane (MHC) will make loading and unloading of vehicles faster and reduce manual effort.

“Till now, this configuration only existed with the Scania ammunition carrier trucks that were part of the Bofors Artillery System,” an official said, adding that while the Scania trucks are ageing, the other trucks — Tatra and KrAZ — do not have the MHC.

Another official explained that HMVs are also used in operations, especially in deserts, to ferry Infantry troops and to help them keep pace with the rapidly advancing Armoured columns, to tow guns and carry artillery ammunition.

In a Request for Information (RFI), a formal process for gathering information from potential suppliers, issued Wednesday, the Army said the vehicles will be used for transportation of heavy equipment and stores on metalled roads and tracks.

The 6×6 HMVs will have a payload capacity of at least 8,000 kg and tow a minimum load of 20 tonne.

The RFI said the platform should facilitate modification for other uses, including carrying of troops, carrying containers on the flatbed and other specialist roles. It also said that the vehicles should be able to operate in extreme temperatures and weather conditions and be transported by the Indian Air Force’s IL 76 and C 17 transport aircraft and broad-gauge railway military bogeys.

The weight of the vehicle should not exceed 24,000 kg, the RFI said.

As for the MHC, the RFI said that their outreach payload capability should be able to lift ammunition pallets or heavy loads weighing a minimum 700 kg at a reach of 9 metres.

The vehicle engine will be a contemporary turbocharged diesel engine and the vehicle should have a service life of not less than 15 years or 1,50,000 km, the RFI added.