Proposed: mine plough manufacturing
Pearson Engineering from the United Kingdom is bullish around its prospects in India having successfully completed delivery of 41 surface mine clearance systems (SMCS).
The company is also confident of receiving a repeat order alongside its partner for this contract, Bharat Earth Moving Limited (BEML).
“India continues to be busy for us and we have a strategic partnership with BEML,” said Pearson Engineering Business Development Director, Richard Beatson, at the DefExpo 2020 held in Lucknow 5-8 Feb 2020.
“Our partnership has completed the SMCS contract on schedule,” he added.
A lot of indigenization content was put in the fabrication of the SMCS at BEML in line with the Indian indigenization of defence products, he said, underlining the company’s full support to the concept of ‘Make in India’.
Pearson Engineering has also come to end of a demanding 2-year ‘No Cost, No Commitment’ trial for the provision of the track width mine plough for the T90 main battle tank. Now alongside partner, BEML, the company is in final contract negotiation for well in excess of 1,000 units of the tracks width mine ploughs.
Pearson and BEML will achieve 50% indigenous content in supplying to the T90 system, he said.
“We are also progressing on the Arjun Mk-1A for the same type of equipment. Talks are in progress with the Ministry of Defence,” Beatson said.
A proposal to manufacture track width mine ploughs for the Mk-1A in India was submitted end of 2019 after extensive trials.
Elsewhere, Pearson Engineering sees business potential in supplying counter mine rollers, that are integrated onto the front of mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) type vehicle. Presentations have been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs for deploying these security and self-protection systems in India.
In addition, Mine Wolf, an unmanned or remote-controlled vehicle, is also being readied for the Indian Armed Forces, Beatson informed. It is new to India but has been in service with armies in other countries.
“Overall, we have a lot of potential business in India,” said Beatson, adding that the partnership with BEML, or others, will be manufacturing more and more equipment in India. fiinews.com
