Shaktiman truck
Encyclopedia
Shaktiman trucks are the most widely used medium-capacity trucks of the Indian Armed Forces
. They were manufactured between 1959 and 1996 by the Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, (VFJ) of the India
n Ordnance Factories Organisation
.
Over 75000 units were produced over its lifetime, of which about 7000 remained in active service as of 2009. They are now being replaced in the Indian Army by the Stallion Mk IV
trucks.
Over time, a 4x4 drivetrain was added. The 4000 kg 4x4 version is the most common version in active service. Other versions included ones with deeper chassis frames, heavy-duty suspension and larger tyres for a gross weightage of 8350 kg and 11,000 kg.
The final significant order for the trucks was received in 1993 from the Indian Army
for 3000 trucks. This order was fulfilled by 1996. The infrastructure for the truck production was preserved for a few more years as a backup contingency option and in the unlikely event of more orders. The production line of Shaktiman was dismantled in 2003.
In total, over 75000 units of the truck in various configurations were produced for the Indian Armed Forces by VFJ over its lifetime.
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
. They were manufactured between 1959 and 1996 by the Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur, (VFJ) of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Ordnance Factories Organisation
Ordnance Factories Organisation
The Indian Ordnance Factories Board is an industrial setup functioning under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It is engaged in production of arms, ammunition, and equipment for civilian as well as military applications...
.
Over 75000 units were produced over its lifetime, of which about 7000 remained in active service as of 2009. They are now being replaced in the Indian Army by the Stallion Mk IV
Ashok Leyland Stallion
The Stallion range of trucks is a medium duty defence vehicle with multiple logistical and tactical applications.The Stallion 4x4 and Stallion 6x6 have tackled the toughest challenges across varied terrain and climatic zones such as Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid zones.The Stallion has...
trucks.
Design
The Shaktiman has a conventional truck design based on the MAN 415 L1 AR truck. One difference is that the Shaktiman has dual rear wheels. Over time, the design was customized and evolved by VFJ with the major focus being indigenisation, as well as to update it. In the last few decades of its production, the trucks were being built entirely with components supplied by Indian vendors.Over time, a 4x4 drivetrain was added. The 4000 kg 4x4 version is the most common version in active service. Other versions included ones with deeper chassis frames, heavy-duty suspension and larger tyres for a gross weightage of 8350 kg and 11,000 kg.
Production
The first Shaktiman truck rolled off the assembly line in June 1959. The first trucks were assembled using components procured from MAN SE.The final significant order for the trucks was received in 1993 from the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
for 3000 trucks. This order was fulfilled by 1996. The infrastructure for the truck production was preserved for a few more years as a backup contingency option and in the unlikely event of more orders. The production line of Shaktiman was dismantled in 2003.
In total, over 75000 units of the truck in various configurations were produced for the Indian Armed Forces by VFJ over its lifetime.
Variants
The Shaktiman chassis was adapted into a wide range of variants, including:- 4x4 and 4x2 hard and soft top variants
- 4000 litre fuel tankers
- 4000 litre water tankers
- Versions for carrying shelter bodies, primarily for theatre communications and sensor systems
- Artillery tractors with crew shelters
- A version with gross weightage of 8350 kg for towing 105 mm light field guns and other howitzerHowitzerA howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
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