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-   -   Camouflaged Tata defence vehicle spotted on Mumbai-Pune expressway. EDIT: Its the Merlin (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commercial-vehicles/187680-camouflaged-tata-defence-vehicle-spotted-mumbai-pune-expressway-edit-its-merlin.html)

These spyshots were sent to me by a good friend who was traveling on the Mumbai-Pune expressway earlier in the morning today and spotted this camouflaged behemoth!




Could be an all-new armored off-roader bought by the Defense department. Wheel flaps in the pictures indicate that it's manufactured by Tata.
Haven't seen many with a spare wheel placed so high up on the side, though.

Thanks to GTO for the heads-up!

Would the underbody later get an armoured layer to cover the tanks and exhaust, or are they independently armoured? Seems futile to have them in such an open view on an armoured vehicle.

This could be a mine protected vehicle for moving troops in areas & routes infested with land mines - a problem faced in Maoist & Kashmir insurgency areas. Normally such vehicles have the spares at the point likely to be the furthest from the blast. We can't say for sure without seeing the underside of the vehicle - it would typically by a V shape to deflect the blast outwards. Can't say as some vehicle equipment is visible unprotected. South African mine protected vehicle's photo below.

It is definitely a TML designed mine protected mule. The ORVMs, tail lamps and that air filter are definite giveaways. It seems to be undergoing some basic drivetrain tests which is why its protection is not yet bolted on.

No shots from the front at all?

The tail lights and mud flaps suggest it's a Tata Defense vehicle being tested. Didnt Tata recently get a military contract to manufacture defense vehicles?

Any idea what is the triangular thing mounted on the rear wheel? Is that a Tyre inflator?

Is it this one?
http://www.tatamotors.com/product/de...ected-vehicle/

Smartcat, does not look like. This one does not have the extended wheel arches.

Just check the tyres, they are JK TYRES. This might be is a giveaway that some Indian company is testing this army prototype :thumbs up

1) The mud-flaps are Tata
but then
2) the specs given to the manufacturer could have specified JK tyres.

so whats the pick ?

This should be it;



TATA LAMV

Source: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commer...ml#post3797928

Pardon my ignorance, but am I the only one who think they should have put all those blast-deflecting armor plates in place before sending it out for tests? Just how prudent is the idea of testing an armored vehicle without armor?

Also I sincerely hope they have chosen JKTyres intentionally, as these are the worst-case tyres so the traction, ride, braking and handling can be properly tested and ascertained for worst-case scenarios. :D

MH 14 means it is a Pimpri based Tata (armour plated ?) military/ police use vehicle. It must be with the Tata Safari powerplant in all likelihood.

The tailights are borrowed from the Tata truck range. Mahindra also has such a vehicle based on the Scorpio chassis , that is being chiefly being used in areas where insurgency is reported from.

Underbody doesn't seem to have any sort of independent armour, maybe because this is a testing prototype. I am guessing those would be added later on.


Nope.

My friend says that it was doing excellent speeds at 80+ kmph, and he got a chance to click these when it slowed down for a few minutes. The driver must have noticed someone taking pictures behind him, and zoomed off quickly out of sight.


Attached automatic tyre inflators are usually fixed at the centre of the wheel, aren't they? Could be a data-receiving box.


Looks very similar. :thumbs up

Yes, im convinced that this is the next gen Tata LAMV under test :thumbs up

It is the Tata LSV, the redesigned version. The V1 Light Specialist/Strike Vehicle was quite slab shaped.



Our test mule pics are posted here as well.
LSV2