In which tender (L-1) has Zen Technologies Limited placed the lowest bid (L-1) for the Indian Army and what is its total price? Why is there a need to install Remote Control Weapon Systems (RCWS) on Armored Recovery Vehicles (ARVs)? What are the key technical features of RCWS and Phanish platform?
New Delhi: Hyderabad’s defense company Zen Technologies Limited has achieved a major success. The company has placed the lowest bid (L-1) in a tender worth Rs 85.21 crore for the Indian Army. This tender was floated by Armored Vehicles Corporation Limited (AVNL) for Remote Control Weapon Systems (RCWS). These systems will be installed on Army’s Armored Recovery Vehicles (ARVs). A total of 81 remote control weapon stations are to be supplied under this tender. After the installation of these systems, soldiers will be able to operate the machine gun while sitting safely inside the vehicle. They would not have to risk being exposed to enemy fire.
Why do ARVs need weapons?
Armored recovery vehicles are actually support vehicles. Their job is to tow and repair tanks damaged during war—such as the Army’s T-72 and T-90 fleet. Since these vehicles operate directly on the battlefield, they are always at risk of enemy fire, drone strikes and ambushes.
A defense expert said, “In today’s modern warfare, support vehicles also need to be combat-ready. The Russia-Ukraine war and the conflicts in the Middle East have made it clear how useful remote weapon systems are on the battlefield.”
What is this technology?
With the help of RCWS technology, the crew member of the vehicle can operate the weapon remotely from inside the armored vehicle. For this, cameras, thermal imagers, vision systems with day-night vision capability and auto-tracking systems are used. It is believed that Zen Technologies will introduce its ‘Phanish’ platform for this project. A 12.7mm heavy machine gun can be installed on this platform. It can detect targets at a distance of up to 14 kilometers and is capable of operating day and night in all weather conditions. This system also has AI-based target identification technology and fiber optic gyro stabilization, which can enable accurate targeting even from a moving vehicle.