New Delhi: The US has approved some technology proposals that would allow India to start building advanced Stryker combat vehicles. Such a development would tremendously enhance the Indian defence industry and further cement the growing relationship between the USA and India. Also, what makes this special is that it will make India the only country in the world to manufacture the Stryker combat vehicle.

Additionally, the sonobuoys deal spans India and the United States, allowing both countries to assist each other in tracking submarines. Under the agreement, Ultra Maritime, a US firm, and Bharat Dynamics Limited, an Indian Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), will produce sonobuoys in India.

While on a visit to India, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan explained the importance of these deals. He mentioned that the clearance of the technology proposal would make India a global leader in the manufacture of Stryker combat vehicles, an excellent advanced ammunitions system, and an outstanding marine supplier.

As per Indian standards, the Ministry of Defence has laid down a three-phase plan for the Stryker project. According to the arrangement, the project will begin with a limited off-the-shelf purchase via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. This will be followed by co-development in India. The Indo-US relationship is likely to result in the designing of future gunships in India with the growing possibility of exporting them to other nations.

The Stryker is an eight wheeled armored fighting vehicle manufactured by the General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. It is also built for the United States Army and this development take place at a factory based in Ontario Canada. The vehicle consists of a 4 wheel drive and a switch to multi-directional wheel drive.

It can be produced in a variety of variants for example Infantry Carrier Vehicles, Mobile Gun Systems, medical evacuation and reconnaissance vehicles thus giving the forces a flexible and wide range of platform for use in different operational conditions.

The system is integrated with a Caterpillar C7 which has a fuel range of 483 kilometers and can reach a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The system also has a protective layer of bolt-on ceramic armor, which enhances defense even against improvised explosive devices. The Stryker’s hull is made of high hard steel, which protects the armor against over the first layer of the armor while the ceramic armor protects the vehicle against over the second layer and artillery fragments.

The mechatronics integration armoured vehicle has a nine soldier infantry squad besides two crew members. This attack vehicle can reach places much ahead of well built tanks given its use of advanced wheels on cement roads and its other technological abilities. A combination of extensive facilities aids these soldiers to attack and reduces chances of hitting one of their own.

The combat support vehicle can be lifted by the Chinook transport helicopter which is currently in use by the IAF. The General Staff of the Indian Army has plans to use this vehicle along the upper areas of Northeast India, which bound Tibet such as Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim.

This will make more efficient the mechanized vehicles within these home countries, thus sufficiently upgrading their Army combat strategies.