DRDO Sarath Armored Amphibious Dozer

     Notes:  This is the primary engineer vehicle of India.  It is based on the BMP-2 chassis (which India calls the Sarath), and has its turret removed for this role.  So far, this vehicle has not been exported or offered on the international market. India makes the BMP-2 and its subtypes under license from Russia.

     The vehicle has a crane-like jib with a large digging bucket with a capacity of 1.5 cubic meters, and a track-width dozer with a mine plow blade at the bottom, located at the front of the vehicle.  The digging bucket may replaced by an auger, larger digging bucket, a lifting hook, or pincer claws. In addition, there is a larger digging bucket at the front of the AAD and a dozer blade at the rear. The 8-ton capacity winch can be combined with a rocket anchor to throw a 100-meter cable 50-100 meters to clear obstacles and for self-recovery; like most such setups, the rocket anchor may be winched back in, but the rocket module must be reloaded by hand, necessitating leaving the vehicle.  The AAD carries six such rocket modules. The AAD also has a crane with a capacity of 3 tons.  The AAD normally carries construction tools, excavating tools, a welding set, and an air compressor, as well as an engineer demo chest and 40 kilograms of plastic explosive.  Most equipment, including crew equipment, is carried in the large amount of armored lockers and boxes on the sides of the AAD.  The front digging bucket can be pitched upwards, allowing the bucket to carry cargo.

     Power is provided by an Indian-built version of the Russian UTD-20/3 multifuel engine.  It has a manual transmission.  The driver and commander/equipment operator sit back to back on the left side; the driver’s and commander’s hatches open to the side in different directions.  The commander’s machinegun is at the rear of the commander’s hatch on a pintle mount.. The driver and commander operate their equipment while viewing on LCD screens (the same ones as provided for with their BMS) and through day/night CCTV cameras on each corner of the vehicle. The two doors on the rear face (and their fuel tanks) are retained, but the firing ports are deleted, and they can be easily obstructed during normal operation  by the rear dozer blade.  Controls for the vehicle's winches, cranes, earth anchor, etc, are duplicated in the driver's compartment and the AAD can be operated by only the driver, if necessary. The AAD has an NBC Overpressure system, air conditioning, a heater, and GPS and a BMS.  A pair of MICLICs can be added to the rear deck, but not carried as a part of the AAD’s standard kit. The AAD has a GPS and BMS.

     There is an improved version of the AAD. Improvements include remote control with a controller and 60 meters of cable for use in hazardous areas.  The driver’s IR scope is replaced by a day/night vision block, with the night channel being an image intensifier and both channels with variable magnification.  The AAD is up-armored, including the front, sides and floor, and the crew is given crash/blast-resistant seats., An air conditioner is added. The engine is replaced with a 370-horsepower turbocharged diesel, along with a matching transmission.

     In addition to its military role, the Sarath AAD is often found working in disaster areas, where it’s combination of features lend themselves ably to investigating damaged infrastructure and buildings, negotiating flooded areas, and rescuing civilians. (The AAD does not normally carry MICLICs in this case, allowing rescued civilians to clamber onto the rear of the roof.)

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

AAD

$490,867

D, G, AvG, A

1.06 tons

17.2 tons

2

21

Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (C)

Shielded

AAD (Improved)

$585,130

D, A

1.32 tons

18.37 tons

2

21

Image Intensification (D, C)

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

AAD

128/89

35/25/4

460

111

Stnd

T2

HF8  HS4  HR4

AAD (Improved)

143/100

40/28/5

460

137

Stnd

T2

HF10Sp 

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

AAD

None

None

PKT (C)

2000x7.62mm

AAD (Improved)

None

None

PKT (C)

2000x7.62mm

 

Avadi Vijayanta ARV

     Notes:  This is one of the standard armored recovery vehicles of India, made from retiring Vijayanta main battle tanks. It is, in fact based on a modified Vijayanta hull which is lengthened by one roadwheel (the same as the M46 Catapult artillery piece). In this role, the turret is replaced by a raised superstructure running along almost half of the vehicle's hull.  At the front of this superstructure is an A-frame crane with a capacity of 10 tons, and the rear of the hull has a winch mounted with a capacity of 25 tons, or 70 tons with block and tackle.  There is an auxiliary winch with a capacity of 3.75 tons.  Both winches have 100 meters of cable.  The usual assortment of tools for an ARV are issued with the vehicle, including welding and cutting gear, an air compressor, a fuel pump, a large set of tools (basic, wheeled vehicle, tracked vehicle, small arms, heavy ordinance), a tow bar, block and tackle, and various ropes, cables, and chains.  The driver's position has been moved to the center of the front hull, the superstructure has two hatches for crew, and there is a flat area on the rear deck for a spare power pack.  The Vijayanta ARV does not have an overpressure system, but does have a vehicular collective NBC Pack.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$993,045

D, G, AvG, A

3.39 tons

34.2 tons

4

43

Passive IR (D), WL Spotlight

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

118/83

33/23

1000

198

Stnd

T6

HF123  HS18  HR11

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

None

None

MAG (C)

2600x7.62mm

 

CVRDE Kartik BLT

     The Kartik BLT (Bridge-Launching Tank) is an AVLB based on the same lengthened Vijayanta chassis as the Catapult SPA.  It uses a scissors-style of bridge based on that of the Polish/East German BLG-60's bridge.  The bridge is deployed and recovered from the front of the vehicle.  Deployed, the bridge is 20 meters long and is MLC-60 -- able to handle loads of about 60 tons.  It is also one of the widest vehicular bridges, at 4 meters wide. It can therefore take two lanes of jeep-sized vehicles at once, or one tank-width vehicle and a lane of foot traffic, or a lane of vehicles up to 3 tons and a lane of vehicles that are BMP-sized, or 5-man front formations.  The bridge, however, is only 8 tons in weight and is made primarily of aluminum alloy, with steel bracing. The vehicle is powered by the same Leyland L-60 Diesel developing 535 horsepower, with a semiautomatic gearbox. Side armored boxes hold ammunition for the commander's gun and good-to-have equipment such as block and tackle, cable lengths, and rope, as well as basic tools and the crew's personal gear. The crew consists of a driver and a commander/bridge operator, and his machinegun is set on a low pintle mount which can remain mounted when the bridge is loaded, though it has a limited traverse of 60 degrees to the front. The crew have air conditioning, heating, and NBC overpressure.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$657,552

D, G, AvG, A

300 kg

42.2 tons

2

39

Passive IR (D), WL Spotlight (C)

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

101/71

28/20

1000

198

Stnd

T6

HF123  HS18  HR11

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

None

None

MAG (C)

3000x7.62mm

 

Medak Armored Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle

     Notes: The AERV is designed to allow combat engineers to conduct route reconnaissance, mine reconnaissance, contamination, and taking a look at road conditions, river crossings, river and streambank softness, and to measure water depth and current. It also carries some limited equipment to clear some obstacles. It is well equipped to conduct such recon, but it is by no means a heavy combat vehicle. First delivery of these vehicles began in 2008; however, despite their utility, production has been slow.

     The AERV is based on the well-proven Sareth (BMP-2) chassis, though it is heavily shielded and completely NBC sealed. The front has a large till vane to use during amphibious operations; it also has a rocket anchor with 150 meters of cable.  The cable can be withdrawn from under armor, but a new rocket would have to be loaded, something that can also be done from under armor.  The AERV has the Sareth’s turret, but this is unarmed other than the coaxial machinegun and is primarily used for observation and to train instruments on targets. The laser rangefinder is retained, and can be used with the machinegun or to find ranges as necessary.  Each of the four boxes on each side contain twelve flags, and another is by the left rear door, and can be launched from inside the vehicle, or automatically launched at a given interval.  The AERV carries a GPS and BMS, as well as data-capable radios that keep it in radio and video contact with higher HQ. In addition, the AERV has an inertial navigation backup. Digital recorders automatically record all relevant data, up to 40 GB. Hand-held sensors are provided for closer inspection of soil or other possibly contaminated terrain, and these have a radio link to the AERV.

     The vehicle is equipped with NBC overpressure and recirculating air conditioning and heating to allow it to operate in a contaminated environment. The AERV appears to be festooned with boxes and antennae, including one large one on its turret; these are the outlets for the various sensors. Two vision blocks are retained on the sides, and one is retained in the right rear door. The AERV normally runs its equipment off of vehicle power, but has a bank of Ni/Cd batteries which provide the equivalent of a 2kW APU for up to two hours and are charged again by the engine.  The turret has three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret. Atop the turret is a rotatable image intensifier.  The crew, often shut up for long periods inside the vehicle, as an air conditioner with NBC filters and a heater.

     Other specialist equipment include an echo-sounder to detect water depth and obstacles underwater, A rubber raft is also provided if the engineer crew must check under bridges or in streams and rivers.  The interior is surprisingly roomy, as all instruments and monitors are wall-mounted and based on microprocessors and LED screens.  If one crewmember spots something, all other crewmembers may view the item by slaving their monitor to the observing crewmember’s instrument.  There are no cameras mounted, but all crewmembers are issued a digital camera with a 1 GB flash card, which they may connect directly to the radios and transmit the pictures to higher headquarters.  If necessary, the AERV can also conduct sabotage missions with a variety of explosives and tools such as chainsaws.

     Like the AAD above, the AERV is often used in support of civilian disaster relief operations.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$1,969,537

D, G, AvG, A

436 kg

15 tons

4

24

Passive IR (D), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (C, Roof), 2nd Gen Thermal Imaging (Roof)

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

142/100

40/25/5

460

111

Trtd

T2

TF6  TS3  TR3 HF8  HS4  HR4

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+2

Fair

PK

3000x7.62mm