Next generation AERV inducted in Army’s Corps of Engineers

• Indian Army has inducted the first set of Made-in-India next generation ‘Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle’ (AERV) in a solemn function presided over by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General MM Naravane in Pune.
• The state-of-art amphibious vehicle has been designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with Ordnance Factory Medak & Bharat Electronics Limited in Pune.

About AERV

• Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle (AERV) is a modified version of the amphibious (can operate both on land and water) infantry fighting vehicle BMP-II.
• The amphibious infantry fighting vehicle is equipped with as many as 14 electronic and sensing equipment, which have been installed by the Bharat Electronics Limited.
• Notably, instead of the turret, the revolving tower, which an armoured vehicle usually has, AERV comprises a laser range finder and other electronic equipment.
• AERV has been designed especially to fulfill the tactical and combat requirements of Indian Defence engineers involved in carrying out terrestrial and under-water surveys in hostile terrains, primarily for the construction of assault bridges in flat, desert and even riverine areas for both offensive and defensive operations.
• Further, the vehicle also has equipment measuring water currents, soil densities among others, required for engineering columns to construct the bridges that can sustain desired operational load.
• To date, the Indian Army has ordered 53 units of the AERV, which will be deployed with the individual engineering formations, mainly on the Western front of India.