ORDNANCE FACTORY BOARD
FOURTH PILLAR OF INDIA’S DEFENCE
Ordnance Factory Board [OFB], comprising of 41 units engaged in the manufacturing of diverse products, is the oldest and largest defence production organization in India. It is a forerunner of ‘Make in India’ initiative by the government in defence manufacturing. OFB manufactures the entire weapon system platform – along with its ammunition and related accessories. Remarkably, OFB has achieved 85% overall indigenization. Moreover, OFB has developed the indigenous defence industrial complex in the country by nurturing about 11,000 vendors keeping import substitution as OFB’s working mantra. Along with Indian Army, OFB caters to the needs of CAPFs, Air Force and Indian Navy. Further, with changing demands of time, OFB is also diversifying its product portfolio and expanding its base in the international export market as well as domestic civil trade sector. vatedthe tres institutionspur, only Research establishment(ODCs).to upgradingat name OFB like Within a & existingfew,a IITs Developmentstructuredtheof at the13 assistanceMumbai, Ordnanceproducts Ordnance manner [R&D] Kanpurof but Developmentpremier Factoriesalso sinceis and being developing2006 academic Kharag-are culti- Cen- withnot new of ProductOFB weaponhas Development/Upgrade,taken platforms.up R&D projects in Indigenisation,the domains Importhas developed substitution major and weapon Process platforms, Development. arms OFBand ammunition and approximately 22% of the turnover of OFB is from products developed indigenously by Ordnance Factories. The major products developed through in-house R&D are 155mm Artillery Gun ‘Dhanush’, Up-gunning of 130mm Artillery Gun to 155 mm x 45, Mine Protected Vehiclecle (MMPV), (MPV) Bi-Modularand Modernised Charge Mine System Protected (BMCS) Vehi- for 155mm Artillery Ammunition, 7.62 x 39mm Assault Rifle ‘Ghatak’ among others. OFB is presently developing Upgraded BMP-II, Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV), Air Defence Gun and 155mm x 52 Cal Mounted Gun System and related ammunitions and Electronic Fuzes. Besides catering to the forces, OFB is also meeting the requirements of advanced technological materials for research establishments like ISRO, DMRL, NFC and others. OFB – a “Complete Combat Solution Provider” for the Indian Armed forces is further emerging as key player in the globally-competitive defence industry. OFB’s target is to produce technologically superior military equipment at competitive price fulfilling the aspirations of the customers. SP