India’s first NBC recce vehicle launched in Pune

India’s first wholly indigenous NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) reconnaissance (recce) vehicle  designed, developed and manufactured by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was handed over to the Indian Army in Pune on Tuesday.

The recce vehicle costs Rs6.5 crore compared to an equivalent international price of Rs20 crore.

In a function held at the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) on Tuesday, W Selvamurthy, chief controller, research and development (life sciences), DRDO handed over four such vehicles to Lt Gen MC Badhani, engineer-in-chief, Indian Army.

With these, the first Limited Series Production order of eight NBC recce vehicles have been handed over to the army. It has placed an order for 16 more with the DRDO, which they are confident of delivering by 2013.

The NBC recce vehicles, which have been fitted with hi-tech sensors, are able to monitor radiologically and chemically contaminated areas.