Indigenous carbine passes final user trials: Ordnance Factory Board

The carbine, jointly developed by the DRDO and the OFB, is being issued to Central paramilitary forces and state police organisations. The weapon can be fired with one hand. The weapon can be fired with one hand. (Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata)

A new joint venture protective carbine (JVPC) has successfully passed the final phase of user trials, meeting all criteria of the General Service Qualitative Requirement, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has announced.

The compact gas-operated weapon has an effective range of more than 100 metres and weighs less than three kilos. During the tests, the ammunition penetrated 3.5 mm thick mild steel plate and 23 layers of soft armour at 100 metres, the OFB said in a statement.

The weapon can be fired with one hand. It has a rate of fire of 800 rounds per minute. The JVPC, which feeds through the pistol grip unlike any other indigenously developed weapon in 5.56 x30 mm calibre, is being issued to Central paramilitary forces and state police organisations, Gagan Chaturvedi, deputy director-general, OFB, said in a statement.