Ashok Leyland Defence Systems

Ashok Leyland Defence Systems was floated on 18 March 2008. Hinduja Group's flagship company Ashok Leyland holds 26 percent in the newly formed company. Ashok Leyland has been involved in the design, development and manufacture of vehicles for the Indian armed forces. Ashok Leyland is ranked among the world's largest producers of medium duty defence vehicles today.

Ashok Leyland's defence vehicles are serving armed forces in ground support roles from troop carriers to special application logistical and tactical vehicles. Its diesel engines have been used to power vehicles, boats, cranes, ground starter aggregates, compressors and generators.

Ashok Leyland has supported the modernization of the Indian Army by developing a host of logistical vehicles with military payloads ranging from 1.5 to 16 tonnes for Light Specialty Vehicles (LSV), Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV), General Services Role, Light Recovery Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Fire Fighting Trucks, Field Artillery Tractors and other special applications.

Ashok Leyland Defence has a rich heritage of association with defence forces around the world through its association with Leyland and AVIA. The Mk VIII Centaur tanks which were built at Leyland taking part in the Italian campaign in 1943. While the OT 64 Czech armoured carrier's chassis units were manufactured by AVIA in 1963.

Operations

India

Ashok Leyland has extended its automotive expertise to the defence sector, for over three decades, and has been a pioneer in the design, development and manufacture of special vehicles, serving the Indian Army. Ashok Leyland Defence Systems Ltd. (ALDS) shares this heritage and association with global defence markets.

Global

Ashok Leyland Defence Systems Ltd. (ALDS) also leverages Ashok Leyland's in-house R&D base, its collaboration with global technology leaders and Ashok Leyland's state-of-the-art plants in India. Ashok Leyland Defence Systems Ltd. (ALDS) also works with associate companies (Hinduja Group Companies) AVIA (Prague, Czech Republic), Optare (Leeds, UK), Defiance (Detroit, USA), Hinduja Foundries (Chennai, India) and AlbonAir (Dortmund, Germany) to leverage their capabilities.

Products

They have logistical vehicles with military payloads ranging from 1.5 to 16 tonnes for Light Specialty Vehicles (LSV), Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV), General Services Role, Light Recovery Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles, Fire Fighting Trucks, Field Artillery Tractors and other special applications. It also has tactical vehicles designed for combat and offensive roles such as Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRLs).

Stallion

The Stallion is a medium duty defence vehicle with multiple logistical, tactical and special purpose applications. The Stallion 4x4 and Stallion 6x6 are operation across climatic zones such as Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid zones. The Stallion is used by the Indian Army across the varied climate and terrain of India from coastal operations to high altitude bases, from deserts to snow covered mountainous regions. The Stallion forms the logistical backbone of the Indian Armed Forces with over 60,000 Stallions used by the Indian Army, all manufactured at the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur. The Stallion is built for use in harsh environments and for easy maintenance in regions where supporting infrastructure may be missing. The Sri Lanka Army also uses Stallions.