Indian Army Favors American Stryker Over Indigenous WhAP 8×8 in Armored Vehicle Program

The Indian Army's evaluation of contenders for its 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle program has reportedly hit a roadblock, with sources suggesting a preference for the American Stryker over local offerings, including DRDO's WhAP 8×8. The Army reportedly considers the Stryker a more robust and mature platform compared to indigenous alternatives, citing superior design and protection.

This development contradicts DRDO's claims, which previously positioned their WhAP 8×8 as superior to the Stryker, Fuchs 2, and Piranha 3 based on a comparison chart. However, the Army's assessment seems to prioritize real-world performance over theoretical specifications.

In response to the Army's preference, discussions are underway between the US and India to explore a co-development program for a customized Stryker M1135 variant tailored to meet Indian requirements.

This setback for DRDO's WhAP 8×8 could potentially hinder India's efforts toward self-reliance in defense manufacturing. While the WhAP may have shown theoretical advantages, the Army's practical assessment highlights the importance of proven performance in the field.

The future of India's 8×8 program remains uncertain, with the final decision likely to have a significant impact on both the Army's capabilities and the country's pursuit of indigenous defense solutions.

 

[Bhaskar Ambekar]

Nothing new Army always want Phoren maal, they need to learn from Indian navy who gives first preference to indigenous products

 

[Puneet]

Army's practical assessment; that we saw when they asked for a rifle with interchangeable barrels for firing different bores.

 

[Anurag]

Requirements are diffeeent. And has anyone outside India purchased them who isn’t under GoI’s strict control?

We all remember how Insas was forced on CRPF and their DG was forced to come out with raw data on how that gun was an utter piece of junk.

How requirements are different??
is their any evaluation done on the grounds??
so just few things to ask here Stryker's have done any field test here in India?
just Indian system have to go throw a lot moon trial sea trial and space trials!!
but foreign item they are just best... Earlier it was with Russian systems and now with western system that are outdated now!!
so corruption is everywhere

 

[beencensured]

Does that mean terrorist drive stryker ?? Tell this to Singh, Gadkari, Shah.

I favour capability that is missing in WhAP.

Whap is amphibious and Stryker is not. Stryker American and Canadian toilet meant to keep India ten steps backward and dependent at double the cost. Like Tejas ge404 failing when Argentina deal was made serendipitously with America. So such terrorist Canadian /America will fail at opportune time. Best act like a superpower and Our WHAP is best, Advertise the Indian brand. ANGLO five eyes are totally undependable liar and cheats. .

 

[beencensured]

Does that mean terrorist drive stryker ?? Tell this to Singh, Gadkari, Shah.

I favour capability that is missing in WhAP.

Whap is amphibious and Stryker is not. Stryker American and Canadian toilet meant to keep India ten steps backward and dependent at double the cost. Like Tejas ge404 failing when Argentina deal was made serendipitously with America. So such terrorist Canadian /America will fail at opportune time. Best act like a superpower and Our WHAP is best, Advertise the Indian brand. ANGLO five eyes are totally undependable liar and cheats.

 

[Anurag]

On the other hand, they pay far more for items made by DPSUs. Tejas rivals F35 in procurement cost.

I always thought highly of you as you come with something that is interesting to listen but are you sure what you just said??
total cost spend on f-35 program you really know???
I can't even think of near future that India will ever afford to spend this much of amount!!!
still plague by many problems many plane crashed!!!(At first their is no comparison between Tejas and f35)
Army's corruption is seen as we lose soldiers on the ground but still we can't procure the equipment for them to survive on the battlefield!! We need more armoured vehicles in areas like kashmir valley and in the eastern terrain but still army chose to lose life's over these things!! For them soldiers lyf is not matter they will continue to use old and absolute system.
just took recent example of T-72 tank accident we lost 5 brave soldiers!!
If their is no corruption then why these accident or attack happens??
look at the stats how many soldiers we lost in kashmir valley alone every year because of lack of essential terrain items which our army lacks from many decades!!

 

[SK]

For long term approach, it's more sensible to invest in WhAP.

 

[Akshat]

The problem is not the products but Army mindset.

Army mindset is amazing. Trying to help our industry to the fullest. The sole problem is the developer DRDO.

 

[kumar]

IA should be starved of the funds. ADB should be disbanded. And army funds including emergency procurement funds should be given to companies as compensation for thier investment in whap, and the likes of Kalyani and sss defence, etc. Let chandigarh lobby finance thier own acquisition.

 

[Sandeep]

What shocks me is that people think that India has already made a deal for the Stryker IFV from the USA which isn’t true. India has just said that we will look at the technology, capabilities and price of what the USA are offering. There is also an arms embargo in place which prevents India from buying the Stryker IFV as we are capable of developing it ourselves which is why it’s banned along with reassuring private investors to invest in indigenous products. INDIA ISN'T GOING TO BUY THE STRYKER VEHICLE AT ALL!

Currently if someone was to look at the capabilities, technology and equipment then India and its WHAP/Kestrel beats all other foreign IFV. We also have the Mahindra and AVNL who are also developing their own IFV which will be just as good.

The only weakness in the Kestrel IFV is that India still needs to develop an unmanned indigenous integrated turret with a main canon gun, medium and heavy machine gun, automatic grenade launcher, ATGM launcher etc which can give a better performance. Currently we can temporarily use the turret of the BMP 2 IFV and keep using it until we develop an indigenous turret and replace it. This will keep production of the IFV on going and the vehicles won’t be delayed in manufacturing the parts, components and technology that has been developed so far which meets the service requirements.

Also we do want to see the Kestrel platform be used for other services like armoured ambulance, 120mm mortar, EW/ESM, command tracking vehicle, 105mm light tank, short range SAM, radars and tank killers etc so there is a long future for our indigenous Kestrel platform.

 

[Avada kedavra]

Obviously just by seeing the two images above its clear the stryker can take far more hits.

but then again if the army cares so much about protection and superior design why did they favor the russian junk t 90 over the arjun mbt?

another question arises is why didnt drdo design their product as per armys specifications in order to make sure they are satisfied with it?

 

[Avada kedavra]

As usual Failed DRDO designs

But did drdo just make whatever it feeks like or based on armys inputs?

 

[Bailbuddhi Padhoria]

Whap is amphibious and Stryker is not. Stryker American and Canadian toilet meant to keep India ten steps backward and dependent at double the cost. Like Tejas ge404 failing when Argentina deal was made serendipitously with America. So such terrorist Canadian /America will fail at opportune time. Best act like a superpower and Our WHAP is best, Advertise the Indian brand. ANGLO five eyes are totally undependable liar and cheats. .

AMPHIBIOUS ≠ SUBMERSIBLE

Are bhaya, more intelligent mil. engineers & COs & GOCs of Indian Army & US Army knew that. Only you realized now...Stryker is for high altitude cold desert not for littoral or riverine or creek or glacial operation. Stryker will not wade its way through strong currents of Zanskar, Nubra, Shyok or gorges of Indus. Recently a T-72 got washed away in Shyok killing 5 soldiers. Indian Army isn't that dim-witted to even think of amphib ops in Pangong Tso that too when PLA troops has high grounds on the other side.

In last 5 years since Galwan, BRO has vastly improved bridge & road infra on all communication lines leading to Galwan, DSDBO, Demchok, Depsang, Chipchap, etc... so much so that amphib ops will not be required. In case bridges gets interdicted, IA will rely on mobile pontoon & modular bridges to push forces through. IA has both these.

Padh to liya karo Stryker ke baare mein how US Army utilises their mechanised BCTs. US Marine uses AAVs & ACV-30s for amphib ops. Amphib ops is constrained by water currents, weather, tide condition, water depth, reserve buoyancy, beach terrain, ...

Aftab Ahmed has written here a paragraph or so.. Read two lines of that.

 

[Bailbuddhi Padhoria]

Like Tejas ge404 failing when Argentina deal was made serendipitously with America. So such terrorist Canadian /America will fail at opportune time. Best act like a superpower and Our WHAP is best, Advertise the Indian brand. ANGLO five eyes are totally undependable liar and cheats. .

You should have thought & informed preceding govt on your gut feelings & conspiratorial inclinations before Harpoon, P-8I, MQ-9B or LM2500, or ACE-1000,..... or MH-60R, C-17.... etc...were signed. If Americans want, sanctions can happen overnight. I think you know that engine of WhAP is Americano. So far they have been patient, friendly, kind & gentle.

FVEY are not cheat totally undependable liar and cheats. That's power, realpolitik & strategic convergence. International politics is shatranj..

 

[M S Chatterji]

Has anyone in the world inducted Tapas? Arjun? WhAP? They are lying to even the MoD. That’s on record. They are utter failures.

The problem is not the products but Army mindset.

 

[M S Chatterji]

Forgive him. He is a Frenchie and hates anything and everything indigenous. He promotes French and Israeli products by showing DRDO, HAL and other competition in bad light and not by showing the marginal value and its cost to us. He is a fan of Mirage upgrade, ATHOS, Spike and what not.

I did not know he is a Frenchman

 

[Utopian]

Give me one time indian army has favoured indian weapons.
i personally want a free and fair investigation on methodologies of army procurement

bring them under purview of right to information act, the murk will be out in a day.

shameless. The same army was not even having proper bullet proof vest a few years ago while UK forces were buying from india.
We will be destroyed from inside and it had started. The rot lies within our system

 

[White T POISON]

Manufacture initial batch of strykers while making another larger batch of whaps.

 

[Rajdeep Saikia]

Striker comes with trips to the US and possibly month long training..... Govt needs to step in a stop the import crazy Generals

 

[Akshat]

At least run a trial to know the real picture. Results are pronounced without any test of Stryker in Indian terrain.

I can see you know everything!

For records, Tapas fares better than Israeli Drishti.

And who has pronounced the results? Has the army or MoD said they are gonna buy it? Only thing we know for sure is that WhAP has been under tests for a long time and it hasn’t cleared trials.

And for the record, Tapas was an absolute disaster and a junk of a drone. It wasn’t even worthy of being called a MALE drone. It was an embarrassment for us as a nation.