New Delhi/Pune: (Vivek Shukla) The first batch of next-generation Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicles (AERV), indigenously designed and developed by DRDO and manufactured by the Pune Unit of Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), was formally inducted into the Indian Army by the Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane (PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC) on December 21, 2021.

According to an official statement issued by BEL, AERV is manufactured by BEL-Pune with more than 90 percent indigenous content. It is a versatile BMP-IIK amphibious Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) fitted with instruments for water reconnaissance, land reconnaissance, navigation and data backup.

The AERV is capable of measuring soil bearing capacity on riverbanks to determine if they are motorable for military vehicles on Go-No Go basis (critical parameters for bridge laying), dry and wet gaps in day and night conditions, slopes and height of river banks/canals. It's possible to navigate the AERV with military maps using Military Grid Coordinate System, measure and plot underwater beds and water currents of rivers/canals, store data from various instruments on Control Console for further analysis and decision-making.

The vehicles were inducted into the Corps of Engineers at a ceremony held at Bombay Engineering Group (BEG), Pune, in the presence of BEL's Director (Finance) Dinesh Batra, Indian Army's Engineer-in-Chief Lt Gen Harpal Singh (PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC) and other senior officers from BEL and Indian Army.

"The induction of the next-generation AERV will boost the Indian Army's combat capability and is a milestone in the journey towards an Atmanirbhar Bharat," it added.

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