Vehicle Factory Jabalpur

Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) (Hindi: वाहन निर्माणी जबलपुर), is a military motor vehicle manufacturing company located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India, functioning under the aegis of Ordnance Factories Board controlled by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.[1] The company is headed only by an IOFS officer called General Manager (ex officio Additional Secretary to Government of India) who is the Chief Executive Officer responsible for the overall management of the company and is the main judicial authority.[2] VFJ is the sole supplier of B vehicles to the Indian Army.

Vehicle Factory Jabalpur
Government Organisation
IndustryDefence
Founded1969 (1969)
HeadquartersKolkata
Key people
Govind Mohan, IOFS
(Sr. General Manager)
ProductsMilitary vehicles
Number of employees
2,600
ParentOrdnance Factories Board
Websitewww.vfj.nic.in

History

The production of Shaktiman trucks (MAN 415 L1 AR), Jonga (Jabalpur Ordnance aNd Guncarriage Assembly) Light Utility Vehicles and the Vahan 1 ton (Nissan 4W73 Carrier) began at the Gun Carriage Factory Jabalpur in 1959.[3] Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India was present to witness rolling of the first batch of vehicles at GCF. It was shifted to the present location in 1969.[4] It started manufacturing Shaktiman trucks with license from MAN SE of Germany[5] along with Jonga[6][7] and Vahan 1 ton under license from Nissan of Japan.[8] All three of the above products have been retired and replaced by the new products.[9]

Products

VFJ manufactures and assembles general staff vehicles, logistics vehicles, light armoured vehicles like bullet-proof vehicles, mine protected vehicles and specialist role vehicles such as water bowsers, fuel tankers, field ambulances, tippers, battery command posts, generator sets, light recovery vehicles, field artillery tractors, kitchen containers etc. It also has some variants for civilian applications.

Past Products and their variants
  • Matang was completely developed and manufactured by VFJ.
  • Jonga Re-Engineered with a diesel engine was introduced in 1999.
  • India's first 3-way tipper was built on the Shaktiman platform.
Present Products and their variants
  • VFJ Stallion Mark I, now being replaced by Stallion Mark IV
  • 5000 Litres Water Bowser on Stallion
  • 2000 Litres Water Bowser on LPTA
  • VFJ LPTA 715
  • 4X4 Mine Protected Vehicle, also in 6X6 configuration, with RCWS, recce and recovery variants
  • 4X4 Bullet Proof Vehicle
  • VFJ LPTA Armoured variant
  • 4X4 Riot Control Vehicle
  • Integrated Communication Electronic Warfare System
  • Nuclear Biological Chemical Water Purification System
  • Mobile Base Transceiver Station
  • LPTA Field Ambulance
Future Products and their variants
  • Pinake Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher soon to be produced
  • Dhanush Field artillery tractor
  • Flyer ITV Light Strike Vehicle could enter into production at VFJ
  • High Mobility Vehicle Launching Platform for Smerch Rockets, the same used for Pinaka

Technology

Vehicle Factory Jabalpur has an R&D centre responsible for development of future vehicles and related technologies. It has tie-ups with Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors. Its research partner is Vehicle Research & Development Establishment of Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Customers

Since VFJ produces defence vehicles, its primary customers are Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces,[10] State Armed Police Forces, Paramilitary Forces of India and Special Forces of India which have land based operations. It also supplies vehicles to civilians, government and private organisations.

References
  1. "Indian Ordnance Factories: Our Factories". Ofb.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  2. Indian Ordnance Factories: Vehicle Factory Jabalpur
  3. http://ofbgcf.nic.in/achieve.html
  4. "Indian Ordnance Factories: Vehicle Factory Jabalpur". Ofb.gov.in. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  5. "Shaktiman (4 x 4) 4,000 kg truck (India) - Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics". Jane's Information Group. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  6. "JONGA (4 x 4) 0.25 ton light vehicle (India), Light vehicles". Jane's Information Group. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  7. "MYJONGA.COM". Abhilash Nambiar. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  8. "Metro Plus Coimbatore / Wheels : Monster on the move". The Hindu. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  9. Business Standard (26 September 2009). "Jabalpur auto parts makers facing tough times". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  10. "Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)". Bprd.nic.in. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
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