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Tata Motors to hire ex-servicemen for FICV project

By Niranjan Mudholkar,

Added 31 March 2016

Signs MoU with Maharashtra Ex-Servicemen Corporation Ltd for creation of employment opportunities for ex-service men of Indian Army

MESCO a Government of Maharashtra undertaking, of the Mahasainik Industrial Estate (MSIE) is India's first unique Ex-servicemen Industrial Estate set-up in Pune in 2002, for the establishment and resettlement of ex-servicemen, with the moto of ‘Service with Discipline'. MESCO's objective is to provide reasonable employment to ex-servicemen of the state nearest to their homes, within their district by undertaking various commercial activities. Having bagged over 270 contracts, MESCO operates in thirty-four districts and employs over 11000 Ex-servicemen.

Tata Motors recently also signed a strategic agreement with Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) of the US, for the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD's) prestigious Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) program. Tata Motors will lead the consortium, playing on its strengths related to Design, Development & Integration of mobility platforms, with Bharat Forge Limited as a partner, bringing on board its competence in local manufacturing. General Dynamics Land Systems will bring in its much proven expertise in combat vehicle programs, as a SOSI (a system of systems integrator), enabling Tata Motors, the lead integrator, to offer a truly indigenous solution for this ‘Make' (in India) program.

To be developed under the ‘Make Category', the FICV is a high mobility armoured battle vehicle, for infantry men to keep pace with new advancements in weaponry system. The FICV needs to be compact, tracked and amphibious, no heavier than 18-20 tonnes, so that it can be air-portable and transportable by other means, onto combat zones. The vehicle must fire anti-tank guided missiles, to ranges beyond four kilometers, with a capability to carry a crew of three and eight combat-kitted infantrymen. The FICV will replace the Indian Army's fleet of 2610 Russian-designed BMP (Sarath BMP-II) series armed vehicles, that are in operation since 1980.
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