NEW DELHI: The Armed forces have initiated a process to upgrade and strengthen the transport capability of the three services. On Wednesday, the government issued two separate requests for information (RFI): one for the procurement of about 5,000 lorries for the three forces and another to procure 2,500 trucks for the Indian Army to be operated in hills, high altitudes, cross-country, and desert terrain.
The vehicles to be procured will be General Service (GS) Vehicles used as load carriers for transporting troops, cargo, ammunition, and other supplies. The process aims to upgrade the existing fleet and address existing deficiencies. The lorries are expected to have a payload capacity of 5 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes. The 5-tonne lorries will be deployed in hills, high altitudes, cross-country, and desert terrain, while the 7.5-tonne vehicles will be operated in plains.
According to the RFI, these vehicles should be equipped with 4x4 wheel drive and be capable of operating in various terrains and climatic conditions prevalent in the country. It is expected that the request for proposal (RFP) will be issued within the next six months. As per the RFI, the overall dimensions and weight of the vehicle should allow it to cross a Class 18 bridge and be transportable by the broad gauge section of the railway. It should also have a facility for easy and quick conversion to a flatbed configuration by removing side walls, superstructure, and tailboard.
The vehicles must have a carrying capacity of 34 soldiers on foldable side-facing seats with their personal weapons and equipment. The vehicle should be fuel-efficient, with a fuel consumption rate of not less than five km per liter, and the average engine life should not be less than 150,000 km or 15 years, whichever comes earlier.
For the procurement of the 2,500 trucks for the Indian Army, a separate RFI was issued. The plan is to procure around 2,500 trucks for use as General Service load carriers with a payload capacity of 2.5 tonnes in hills, high altitudes, cross-country, plains, and desert terrain, and under various climatic conditions prevalent in the country. The trucks should have a carrying capacity of 14 soldiers on foldable side-facing seats with their personal weapons and equipment.