L&T Hydraulics achieved an important milestone with the supply of the first set of critical components to K9-Vajra Project. At an event held on August 20, 2018, Mr. Arvind K. Garg, Executive Vice-President and Head, Construction & Mining Machinery, handed over the Hydro-Pneumatic Suspension (HSU) and Track Tension Assembly Kit (TTAK) to Mr. Jayant D. Patil, Whole-time Director and Sr. Executive Vice-President (Defence Business), L&T at L&T Hydraulics factory in Doddaballapur.
Mr. Arun Ramchandani, Vice-President, L&T Defence; Mr. Anil Kulkarni, General Manager, L&T Defence; Mr. Shailesh Kodkani, General Manager, L&T Hydraulics and Mr. D. Keshava Kumar, Chief Executive, L&T Construction Equipment Limited along with several other senior executives and workmen attended the event.
The K9-Vajra Project involves manufacture of 155 mm Self-Propelled Tracked Guns by L&T Defence in collaboration with Hanwha Techwin-Korea at its state-of-the-art facility in Hazira. These guns, with a 43km firing range, will be delivered to the Indian Army strengthening its artillery. The K9-Vajra is one of the largest contracts received by L&T Defence from Ministry of Defence as its strategic partner from the private sector.
L&T Hydraulics has partnered with L&T Defence for developing the suspension and the track tensioner for the K9-Guns. Every K9 gun has 12 Hydro-Pneumatic Suspension Units (HSU) with 6 units each on the left and right. The gun also has 2 Track Tensioner Assembly Kits (TTAK) mounted on the left and right side of the gun.
Both the HSU and TTAK are built using special steel and aluminium alloy components which are machined to very fine level of tolerances to be able to handle the high power to weight ratio that is normally required for defence equipment. Both the sub-assemblies are a critical part of the K9 gun and have been designed to handle the shocks not only during travel of the gun on cross-country terrain but also during firing.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. J.D. Patil expressed his happiness with L&T Hydraulics successfully developing and delivering key components for the K9 Gun Project. He said L&T Hydraulics has been identified as one of the strategic partners from within the group companies and the future shall see L&T Defence stepping up order placement on it. He said that the long-term commitment of L&T Defence would see more L&T group companies being involved in delivery of critical projects.
L&T Hydraulics is one of the key component suppliers to L&T Defence and forms part of the robust supply chain developed indigenously for localization of imported components. It has a futuristic plan to increase supplies to L&T Defence as well as to expand the product mix. L&T Hydraulics has a track record of having manufactured and supplied hi-tech hydraulics for diverse applications in the engineering industry.
