New Delhi: In a major development, Morocco has signed an agreement with the Tata Group for manufacturing the WhAP 8×8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle in the African country with a minimum 35 percent indigenous content.
Reports emerging from Morocco said that the indigenous content will be taken up to 50 percent over a period of 36 months. It was not immediately known how many WhAPs were being procured.
While the Indian Army has itself gone in for a very limited number of the WhAP, which have been deployed even in Ladakh besides other operational areas, a larger order for the armoured combat vehicle is pending.
This is not the first deal to be struck by the Tatas in Morocco. Last year, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces had procured 90 units of its six-wheel military trucks.
WhAP, or wheeled armoured platform, is India’s first amphibious infantry combat vehicle (wheeled), and designed for optimised survivability, all-terrain performance, and increased lethality.
Jointly designed with the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Tata Advanced Systems’ flagship product has an integrated power pack with automatic transmission, floatation, and propulsion.
The WhAP has been unveiled in two weapon configurations. Initially it came with a roof-mounted, remote controlled remote weapon system fitted with a 30×113 mm autocannon and 7.62×51 mm coaxial machine gun.
It also had an automatic grenade launcher along with the possibility of integration of anti-tank guided missile launchers.
Another version came with the turret of a BMP 2 and armed with a 30 mm autocannon, besides other weapons mentioned above.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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