From FICV to XM30: Nations race to build the next armoured battlefield beast
Nations globally are racing to modernize their armored vehicle fleets, with the US and India developing new Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICVs) to replace Cold War-era equipment. These vehicles are designed to provide enhanced protection and firepower for infantry operating alongside tanks.
Why it matters
The shift toward advanced ICVs reflects a broader trend in military modernization as countries prepare for contemporary battlefield threats.
Just four months after DRDO's Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (DRDO) rolled out its Advanced Armoured Platforms, which will compete to replace the army's aging Soviet era BMP-2K Sarath Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV), the US Army is set to receive the first prototypes of its XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV). This comes at a time when around the world armies are attempting to replace their IFVs with more modern vehicles to replace fleets that were largely inducted during the final phase of the Cold War. In this race, besides India and the US, the UK with the Ajax, Russia's Kurganets-25, Germany with its Puma, South Korea with K21 among other nations are replacing their aging inventory.ICVs are a type of armoured vehicle, which is armed with an integrated cannon and anti-tank missiles.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in