Polaris at the 2012 Defence Expo

Polaris Industries set up their India wing in 2011 and made a foray into the sizeable off-road market in India. The company received its first set of orders from the Indian Army for snowmobiles. Polaris has been customising its off-road vehicles to meet the demands of armed forces across the world for nearly a decade now. What makes Polaris’ vehicles the preferred choice in military applications is their excellent go-anywhere ability thanks to the independent suspension setups and high engine output.

Polaris took full advantage of the 7th Land, Naval and Internal Security Systems Defence Expo in New Delhi to showcase its products customised for the armed forces. It would have undoubtedly caught the attention of the Indian army as much as it did ours. Military spec versions of the Ranger and Sportsman series were on display at the Expo, publicised as the largest defence expo in Asia. 

The Ranger RZR SW is a Light Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle designed especially to meet the needs for armed forces to conduct tactical operations. It packs in an 800cc four-stroke petrol engine. The RZR SW weighs just 454kg and with its high output motor will hit 109km/h on almost any terrain. Its all-wheel independent suspension is good for 12”/30cm of travel. 

The Ranger RZR SW comes with black out drive that uses a low-watt driving, which illuminates a small patch of the terrain immediately ahead of the vehicle for stealth. Black out lights work great with night vision devices to help the navigator get a good view of the path ahead. The Ranger RZR SW is IR capable as well. 

Apart from the RZR SW, the Ranger range of defence vehicles includes the long wheelbase Ranger Crew 800 four-seater off-road vehicle with a 1 tonne towing capacity. There is also the Ranger 6X6 800 that comes with six-wheel drive and all-wheel independent suspension. The Ranger 6X6 800 is a two-seater flatbed, which too has a 1 tonne towing capacity, and a large dump box with lock and ride cargo system. There is also fire and rescue versions of the Ranger 6X6 800. 

The other vehicle showcased at the 2012 Defence Expo was the Sportsman MV 850. The MV 850 is equipped with two fuel tanks that give it a total fuel capacity of 44.47 litres for an astonishing travel range. The vehicle is loaded with a front fixed winch and blackout lighting. Active Descent Control (ADC) and Engine Braking System (EBS) monitor downhill braking on tricky and steep terrains. 

The Sportsman series from Polaris also offers its Big Boss 6X6 800 to the armed forces in India. The Sportsman Big Boss 6X6 800 is a six-wheel drive hauler and dumper with a payload of 363kg for quick construction and carrying jobs in remote military areas. 

Speaking on the occasion, Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director, Polaris India said, “After successfully entering the Indian market last year with our off-road vehicles, we are now concentrating on providing solutions to the Indian defence, security and government sector. For almost a decade, Polaris Defence has been working with military and government customers all over the world, integrating their unique needs with effective solutions and Polaris India will do the same for the Indian market.  Working directly with an OEM provides benefits to our customers beyond the world-class quality of Polaris products.”