CHENNAI: Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) on Thursday officially handed over the Authorised Holder of Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of Armoured Ambulance Tracked (AAT) vehicle to Controllerate of Quality Assurance (Infantry Combat Vehicles).
AAT vehicles designed and developed by CVRDE are currently under production at the ordinance factory in Medak district in Telangana. AAT vehicle is designed for the speedy evacuation of battlefield causalities with immediate medical care to the nearest hospital. It can evacuate 4 structure patients or 2 structure patients and 4 sitting patients or 8 sitting patients at a time. Two medical attendants are seated in the vehicle to take care of the patients. The AAT vehicle can operate all extreme terrains; it has armour protection, ability to cross all obstacles and is an amphibian.
Director-General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) Lt.Gen Shamsheer Singh has received the transfer certificate from CVRDE director P Sivakumar at a function held at CVRDE office on Thursday.
Speaking to Express, Sivakumar said: “Today, we have handed over the drawings and documentation of the AAT vehicle to DGQA, which now will be responsible for complete production, ensuring everything goes as per the original design particulars,” he said.
As on date, 162 AAT vehicles were delivered to the Indian army out of the total order of 288 vehicles.
“There was a delay due to some procedural issues. The DGQA wanted some changes to be made and we have met all requirements. Earlier, similar transfers were made for Carrier Mortar Tracked (CMT) vehicle in 2006, Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) in 2007 and Bridge Layer Tank (BLT)-72 in 2009-10,” he said.
He said CVRDE is currently focusing on next generation battle tank Arjun MBT Mk-11, Arjun Catapult, a self-propelled gun which can fire an object at a distance of 27 km.