TATA Motors unveiled its Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) at DefExpo 2014 in Delhi. The vehicle platform is developed jointly with the DRDO's Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (VRDE) in Pune. The WHaP is still in the trial phase including high-altitude and floating tests. Considering the high tension between India and China over border issues, these high-altitude tests get a particular interest.

TATA Motors is the first private sector OEM in India which has developed WhAP (Wheeled Armoured Amphibious Platform), an Infantry Combat Vehicle, designed for optimised survivability, all-terrain performance and increased lethality jointly with the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).


WHaP during flotation tests

In recent years, TATA Motors has made a strategic shift from the Logistic vehicles space to the Combat vehicle space by focusing on the development of contemporary state-of-the-art combat vehicle platforms (tracked and wheeled); with the dual purpose of empowering India’s Defence Forces with breakthrough technologies and increasing the nation’s self-reliance in this critical area. The idea is to ensure high mobility, firepower and protection to the forces for their various missions by developing world-class armoured fighting vehicles.

The WhAP with its BMP-2 turret offers a new generation of combat vehicle offering a high level of protection, mobility based on an 8x8 chassis and firepower with the turret armed with a stabilised 30 mm cannon 2A42 and a 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun mounted to the left of the main armament with 2,000 rounds. Mounted on the turret roof between the gunner's and commander's hatches is a launcher for an AT-4 Spigot or AT-5 Spandrel ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) which has a maximum range of 4,000m.

The WhAP has a weight of around 25 tons and is powered by a 600 hp. diesel engine. It can reach a maximum road speed of 100 km/h. For amphibious operations, the WhAP is propelled in the water at a maximum speed of 10 km/h thanks to two hydrojets mounted at the rear of the vehicle.