Hazira (Gujarat): India’s first Armoured Systems Complex (ASC) in the private sector, developed by Larsen & Toubro, India’s leading technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing, defence and services conglomerate, was dedicated to the nation by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today. Honourable Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also present on this occasion.

The ASC is a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture and integrate advanced armoured platforms such as Self-Propelled Artillery Howitzers, Future Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICV), Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCV) or Future Main Battle Tanks.

The Complex is currently executing the prestigious ‘K9 Vajra-T’ 155mm/52 calibre Tracked, Self-Propelled Howitzer Guns program – the largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India under the Make in India initiative through global competitive bidding.

Spread over 40 acres, within L&T’s sprawling 755-acre Hazira Manufacturing Complex, the ASC comprises state-of-the-art facility with high-end machinery and automation aids, feeder shops, and a full-fledged mobility Test Tracks for acceptance and qualification of armoured vehicles.

The L&T Hazira Complex is amongst the largest and most contemporary manufacturing facilities, among few in the world and produces extra-large offshore modules, Reactor End shields and Steam Generators for Nuclear Power plants, high end equipment for the Hydrocarbon, Thermal Power and Defence segments as also ultra-clean Special steels and Heavy Forgings.

The ASC brings manufacturing of Armoured systems to Gujarat in accordance with the thrust areas articulated in the State’s new Aerospace and Defence Policy. L&T Defence has a significant presence in the state and manufactures Submarine Hulls and range of platform specific equipment and Subsystems, special alloys forgings for Defence applications at Hazira. It also makes critical composite subsystems for India’s Space Launch Vehicles and subsystems for BrahMos and Akash Missiles at the Advanced Composites Facility, Ranoli, Vadodara.

I congratulate the entire team of Larsen & Toubro for building the state-of-the-art K-9 Vajra Self Propelled Howitzer.

This is a significant contribution towards India’s defence sector and protecting the country. pic.twitter.com/9YLRjHYdFE

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2019

On this momentous occasion, Mr. A M Naik, Group Chairman L&T said, “L&T’s Hazira Manufacturing Complex was envisaged in the 1980s as the manufacturing hub for heavy equipment manufacturing projects catering to nuclear power, oil and gas, process plants and defence sectors. The world-class facility has been at the forefront of technology to meet various infrastructure, industrial and defence needs of the nation. The Armoured Systems Complex at Hazira adds another feather in the cap of L&T’s global manufacturing ecosystem and serves to build India’s Defence requirements.”

Mr. S N Subrahmanyan, CEO and MD, L&T said, “L&T is the leading private sector defence company and has been meeting needs of the Indian defence industry for past three decades. It is our endeavour to deliver advanced armoured platforms to suit requirements of the Indian Army and this facility will further the company’s vision to be the leader across Defence segments where our presence exist. L&T has been supplying critical high technology equipment to the Indian Navy from Hazira and the ASC will now, in addition, address the needs of the Indian Army and friendly Nations to whom Govt of India promotes Defence Manufacturing Partnership.”

Checking out the tanks at L&T’s Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira. pic.twitter.com/zf7wRrbX7Y

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2019

Mr. J D Patil, Senior EVP (Defence) and Member of the Board, L&T said, “L&T’s Armoured Systems Complex has already begun rolling out the prestigious ‘K-9 Vajra-T’ Howitzers ahead of schedule to the Indian Army. The Program embodies the spirit of the Government’s “Make in India” initiative by large scale indigenous production of various equipment and systems for cost efficient through life support, through in-house development as well as transfer of technology, and judicious mix of L&T’s in-house manufacturing facilities as well as tierised supply chain. L&T Defence has played a catalyst’s role in developing the ecosystem of partners mainly from the MSME sector and by recruiting and training a large number of apprentices inducted from local institutes. The test track at ASC is an asset available for use by other Defence Industries.”

Mr Patil added that with dedication of the ASC at the hands of Hon Prime Minister of India, it becomes the 10th Manufacturing unit of L&T Defence and 7th new manufacturing complex created over past decade and dedicated to Defence Production. L&T has invested in this crucial high-tech sector as our endeavour to build strong and secure India and further Make in India.

The ‘K9 Vajra-T’ Howitzer Program involves delivery of 100 systems in 42 months with an associated Engineering Support Package (ESP) covering spares, documentation and training and Maintenance Transfer of Technology (MToT) to the Army Base Workshop to support the Howitzer regiments throughout their life cycle. Having delivered the 10 systems ahead of schedule, the ASC will deliver the balance 90 within next 22 months.

The ‘K9 Vajra-T’ systems are being delivered with 50% indigenous content (by value) which includes 75% indigenous work packages at the Program level and involves local production of over 13,000 components per gun system through a supply chain of about 400 local Tier 1 manufacturers with over 100 from the MSME segment. L&T has put in sustained efforts and innovation in indigenising ‘K9 Vajra-T’, right from prototype built for user evaluation trials by indigenously developing fourteen critical systems, including the Fire Control System, Direct Fire System, and the Ammunition Handling System. L&T also developed the Auxiliary Power Packs, Air-conditioning Systems, Fire Fighting Systems, and NBC Protection Systems for phase 1 production units itself.

L&T entered into Transfer of Technology agreement with South Korean Hanwha including training a team of engineers and integration specialists at Hanwha facilities. Subsequently, this trained team made structured efforts towards skill development in India by training suppliers’ as well as its own extended teams.