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ICF builds a strategic vehicle for defence needs
Demostrating its designing and building capabilities yet again, the Integral Coach Factory today rolled out "Jet Deflector Crane Car", developed exclusively for the "strategic" defence needs.
Stating that it was the first such venture for ICF, Union Minister of State for Railways, R Velu, who flagged-off the car, told reporters that the ICF had developed the vehicle indigenously as per the specifications given by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
DRDO had placed an order for four such vehicles at a total cost of Rs 6.4 crore. Of these four vehicles, one was flagged off today and the rest would be built by the end of current fiscal, he said adding the finalisation of the design of the car, a specialised self-propelled vehicle, used for strategic deployment, took nearly three years with constant DRDO inputs.
About the use of the car for defence, DRDO Director Y P Pathak said it was part of a system requirement and it "is a very important strategic vehicle". He declined to elaborate further.
Velu said the Defence department had also ordered for 14 military kitchen cars at a cost of Rs 9.6 crore and these vehicles were also likely to be ready by end of March 2006.
Assuring that ICF was ready to fulfill the defence needs, Velu said in 1992-93, 13 military kitchen cars were given to defence and in 1996-97, ICF had built nine military ward cars.
ICF and Defence department were also in dialogue for the building of a special communication car.
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