The army will soon induct a protective carbine, which has successfully undergone the final phase of user trials. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed the Carbine (5.56×30 mm Joint Venture Protective Carbine JVPC) in its Pune Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) facility.
The DRDO maintained that the weapon proved its efficacy in both extreme summer temperatures and winter conditions in high altitudes. A gas operated semi bullpup-type automatic weapon, the JVPC can do more than 700 rounds per minute rate of firing. The carbine comes as per the Indian Army’s General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs). The carbine is manufactured at the Small Arms Factory, Kanpur. Ammunition Factory, Khadki in Pune manufactures the ammunition.
The trials were held on December 7 that met all the GSOR parameters. The trial was the last leg of trials in a series of user trials which have been carried out in extreme temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter. The DRDO said that JVPC successfully met the stringent performance criteria of reliability and accuracy. It also qualified the quality trials conducted by the Director General of Quality Assurance.
Some of the features
- Range of the carbine is more than 100 m; weighs about 3 kg
- High reliability
- Low recoil
- Retractable butt
- Ergonomic design
- Designed keeping in mind requirements of Close Quarter Battle operations
