Mumbai, Nov. 12 -- The achievement places CUMI among a select group of Indian companies to secure STANAG 4569 Level 3 and Level 4 certification for improvised explosive device side-blast protection systems used in armoured vehicles and tanks.
Materials science and engineering company Carborundum Universal Ltd (CUMI) has achieved STANAG 4569 Level 4 qualification for its end-to-end 'powder-to-panel' armour solution for armoured vehicles, marking a significant milestone for India's indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem.
STANAG 4569 is among the most stringent international standards for armoured vehicle protection. CUMI's Level 4 qualification covers its ceramic-based armour solution designed to protect against high-velocity projectiles and fragmentation while optimising weight for mobility and platform integration.
The achievement places CUMI among a select group of Indian companies to secure STANAG 4569 Level 3 and Level 4 certification for improvised explosive device (IED) side-blast protection systems used in armoured vehicles and tanks. The company has also secured certifications for ceramic composite armour panels for armoured personnel carriers and tanks under STANAG 4569 Levels 2, 3 and 4, taking its total certifications across armour ceramics and composite armour systems for personal and vehicle protection to ten.
CUMI is a listed company of the Chennai-headquartered abrasives-to-agri Murugappa Group, which generates annual revenues of more than Rs.778 billion across engineering, agriculture, financial services and manufacturing businesses.
Reacting to the development, Subbu Venkatachalam, Head, Defence & Aerospace, CUMI, said, "Testing and qualification is one of the most critical stages in defence production. Our work directly impacts the lives of soldiers, which is why the qualification criteria are extremely stringent. Even a small deviation can lead to disqualification and months of delay."
The qualification is expected to support ongoing modernisation programmes of the Indian Army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and indigenous armoured vehicle platforms by reducing dependence on imported protection systems and shortening deployment timelines.
CUMI's ballistic protection products, including advanced ceramics and ready-to-fit composite armour panels for bulletproof jackets and armoured vehicles, have been validated against globally recognised standards, including the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standards, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) STANAG 4569 requirements.
Expanding Qualification Portfolio
CUMI's armour systems have been tested and validated at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) and Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH (IABG) in Germany. The company is also pursuing qualification of advanced ceramic composite panels for STANAG 4569 under-belly blast protection for armoured vehicles.
The company's first armour certification was secured for its patented lightweight composite armour system developed jointly with DRDO's Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) in 2010.
Dr. S Christopher, former Secretary, Defence R&D, and former Chairman, DRDO, said, "The greatest challenges for Indian defence have been the procurement and processing of advanced materials, along with testing and validation. Having the qualifications and certifications for materials and components in advance will give a much-needed shot in the arm to OEMs for accelerated indigenous manufacturing and innovation, as per the most advanced Indian and global benchmarks."
CUMI's armour portfolio includes patented Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide (RBSiC) and Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA)-based protection solutions. Its integrated manufacturing capability spans advanced ceramic material development, processing, engineering and fabrication of ready-to-fit armour panels.
"By ensuring that our ballistic protection solutions are already fully qualified at the very start of the supply chain, we enable OEMs and defence partners to build high-performance, mission-critical platforms with complete confidence and without added risk," added Venkatachalam.
The company's qualified solutions include armour ceramics for bulletproof jackets, helmets, neck collars and groin protectors certified to NIJ III, NIJ IV and BIS Levels 5 and 6. Its portfolio also comprises ceramic composite armour panels for armoured personnel carriers and tanks certified to STANAG 4569 Levels 2, 3 and 4. In addition, CUMI has secured STANAG 4569 Levels 3 and 4 qualification for IED side-blast protection panels used in armoured vehicles and tanks.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Infrastructure Today.