Indian manufacturer Ashok Leyland’s first of its kind Light Bullet Proof Vehicles (LBPV) was handed over to the Indian Air Force. The vehicle is an adopted version of Lockheed Martin’s (LM) CVNG (Common Vehicle Next Gen). LBPV has been fully indigenised and developed in India under Transfer of Technology (TOT) from the US based company to Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja Group.
The relationship with the US based Lockheed Martin started in 2014 with their CVNG programme. Light Bullet Proof Vehicles offers protection from mine blast and ballistic attacksfrom 4×4 to 12×12 for personnel and logistics. These vehicles have proved to be reliable partners, across the Indian armed forces. It is also claimed to offer a comfortable travel experience to the 6-man crew even during long journeys.
Light Bullet Proof Vehicles can be operated on High off-road mobility in mud, sand, rocks, and shallow water. Outstanding ride quality and low occupant-absorbed power: it means no discomfort for the crew, as it has the capability of enduring driving long distances off-road. It can accommodate a crew of six and has enough space to carry substantial mission related equipment and has an extremely high payload fraction.
Leyland’s mobility solutions include logistics solutions as well as armoured vehicles for counter-insurgency. Leader, in Service of the Servicemen Ashok Leyland shattered competition in 2015 to become the preferred maker of High Mobility Vehicles in 6×6 and 8×8 configuration for the Ministry of Defence. In the same year, Ashok Leyland was also shortlisted by DRDO and DPSU in HMV 6×6, 8×8, 10×10 and 12×12 configuration as Weapon, Radar and Bridging mobility platforms.