Ashok Leyland Supplies First Lot Of Light Bullet Proof Vehicles To Indian Air Force

Ashok Leyland has delivered the first lot of the Light Bullet Proof Vehicles (LBPV) to the Indian Air Force. The Indian automotive company announced the same through a regulatory filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company says Light Bullet Proof Vehicle (LBPV) is an adopted version of Lockheed Martin's CVNG (Common Vehicle Next Gen) that have been completely indigenized and developed in India. The inducted 6-tonne armoured vehicles will be employed by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for enhancing its airbases' security. The LBPV has been developed under Transfer of Technology (TOT) from Lockheed Martin to Ashok Leyland.

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The Light Bullet Proof Vehicle (LBPV) can accommodate six garud commandos

These Light Bullet Proof Vehicles offer superior protection and combat capability making them ideal for military applications. It also ensures protection from both Ballistic and Blast threats. It can even launch attacks. Other characteristics of the LBPV includes high off-road mobility in mud, sand, rocks, and shallow water. The vehicle gets an extremely high payload fraction while accommodating six garud commandos or Quick Reaction Team, and offers ample cargo space to carry substantial mission equipment.

Moreover, it offers an outstanding ride quality and low occupant-absorbed power, which means the crew can easily endure driving long distances off-road, and still be an effective workforce at the end of the trip.

Speaking on the occasion, Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said, "Supplying to the Armed Forces is a matter of pride for us. We are delighted to have the opportunity to be able to use our expertise in mobility in service of our nation. This LBPV is another example of our team's capability combined with a strong sense of understanding of what is required in arduous conditions. We are grateful to be a trusted partner of the Indian Armed Forces, and we look forward to more opportunities like this to contribute significantly towards the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative."

Nitin Seth, COO, Ashok Leyland, said, "Our mobility solutions range from 4x4 to 12x12 for Defence personnel and logistics, and they have proved to be reliable partners, across our armed forces. Our relationship with Lockheed Martin started in 2014 with their CVNG Program and under TOT transfer and we hope to develop many more products for India and export market on this platform."