Army Ordnance Corps Full Form (AOC)
One of the full form of AOC is the Army Ordnance Corps, an integral part of the Indian Army, tasked with the mammoth responsibility of ensuring the seamless supply of arms, ammunition, and equipment to the country’s armed forces. With a legacy dating back to 1802, the corp has been at the forefront of logistical support for India’s defense apparatus.
The AOC manages a complex and dynamic inventory comprising approximately 5 lac items and has always delivered cogent results by ensuring an uninterrupted supply chain, whatever the constraints. The Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) is an essential branch of the Indian Army responsible for the procurement, distribution, and maintenance of all ordnance materiel required by the armed forces.
AOC Full Form: History of the Army Ordnance Corps
The history of the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) can be traced back to the British colonial era in India. The AOC’s origins can be linked to the Ordnance Department established in 1775 by the British East India Company. The primary objective of this department was to ensure the provision of arms, ammunition, and other military equipment to the British forces stationed in India.
- The history of ordnance in India dates back to the 15th century. The early ordnance stores in the Indian sub-continent were established by the British East India Company for their logistical requirements resulting to the formation of the three Presidencies of the East India Company i.e. Bengal, Madras and Bombay in the 15th Century.
- The official recognition of the Army Ordnance Corps was with the establishment of the ‘Board of Ordnance’ on 8th April 1775. ‘Board of Ordnance’ was formed to ensure the systematic distribution of weapons, ammunition and equipment to the British Army.
- An Inspector General of Ordnance was appointed to each Presidency and was responsible to the Director General at the national level. Following the Partition of Bengal (1905), the Ordnance was split into two, each with an Inspector General.
- In 1918, the prefix Royal was adopted for meritorious service during the First World War. In 1922 the prefix Indian was added and the Corps was named “Indian Army Ordnance Corps”. On 1 May 1943, the Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (IEME) was separated from Indian Armed Ordnance Corps
- After India became republic on 25 January 1950, the corps was rechristened as the Army Ordnance Corps dropping the prefix Indian.
Key Functions of AOC
- Procurement and Supply: AOC is responsible for procuring a wide array of military equipment, from rifles to tanks, ensuring that the armed forces are adequately equipped to safeguard the nation.
- The AOC works in close coordination with other branches of the Indian Army, such as the Infantry, Artillery, and Armoured Corps, to meet their specific ordnance requirements. It plays a critical role in supporting combat units and ensuring their effectiveness in the field.
- The AOC provides logistics support throughout the lifecycle of military equipment. This includes procurement of new weapons and equipment, as well as the repair, refurbishment, and disposal of old or damaged items.
- Storage and Maintenance: They meticulously manage vast depots and arsenals, preserving weapons and equipment in optimal condition for immediate deployment when needed.
- Quality Control: Maintaining stringent quality standards is a paramount duty, guaranteeing that military hardware meets the highest benchmarks of excellence.
- The AOC oversees the functioning of Ordnance Factories, which are government-owned industrial establishments involved in the production of arms, ammunition, and other military equipment. These factories are responsible for ensuring the indigenous manufacturing capability of the armed forces.
Training academy
The Army Ordnance Corps centre in Secunderabad is the training academy of the corps. The AOC centre is responsible to impart training to the ordnance corps personnel. Apart from military training, the AOC personnel are also trained in different kinds of repair works, ancillary trades such as carpentry, tailoring, saddlery, driving etc.
Flag and pennant[
Flag and pennant
Regimental flag
A navy blue background "with a narrow horizontal saxe blue band between two broader maroon bands across the middle"
Pennant
The pennant is a triangle rotated through 90 degrees in a clockwise direction with the navy blue color filled in. The red coloured oval is present at the extreme right. The standard dimensions of the pennant are 0.9 meters by 0.6 meters with the red oval of 0.3 meters.
Colours
The Corps' regimental colours were awarded on 8 December 1970, by then Vice President of India, Gopal Swarup Pathak at the Army Ordnance Centre in Secunderabad. The colour is a silken flag filled with scarlet, and the Corps' crest in the center surrounded by Ashoka and Lotus leaves.