Arjun MBT
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- This page is about the battle tank. For other uses, see Arjun (disambiguation)
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| Arjun | |
|---|---|
| General characteristics | |
| Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver) |
| Length | 10.19 m |
| Width | 3.85 m |
| Height | 2.32 m |
| Weight | 58.5 tonnes |
| Armour and armament | |
| Armour | composite |
| Main armament | 120 mm rifled tank gun Lahat anti-tank missile |
| Secondary armament | 12.7 mm AA MG 7.62mm coaxial MG |
| Mobility | |
| Power plant | MTU 838 Ka 501 diesel 1400 hp (1040 kW) |
| Suspension | hydropneumatic |
| Road speed | 72 km/h |
| Power/weight | 24 hp/tonne |
| Range | 450 km |
Arjun is a Main Battle Tank developed by DRDO (Defence Research and Development) for the Indian Army. It is named for Arjuna, one of the heroes of the Indian epic 'The Mahabharata'.
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[edit] History
Originally intended to be a 40-ton MBT armed with a 105 mm gun, the Arjun’s project requirements were upgraded to 58.5 tons with a 120 mm gun. The project has had a protracted developmental time, thanks to the design needing to be adapted for the harsh operational conditions in India, the ever-changing Requirements from the Army and the lack of a prior heavy tank building industry in India.
In the process of developing the Arjun, India established the infrastructure to develop and manufacture modern armour. The Heavy Vehicles Factory located in Avadi, India is the facility that has been producing prototypes and pre-production models. The HVF has produced T-72s and Vickers medium tanks in the past, and the Arjun is seen as a significant challenge. The Indian Army has 124 Arjuns on order.
The first 15 tanks of the 124 have already been activated. Of the remaining 109 tanks, the Indian Army is currently putting the first five tanks from the production lines at Avadi, through accelerated build quality and reliability trials. The intent is to verify whether the Arjun production has stabilized, with the requisite quality and performance requirements. Upon successful completion, the remaining 104 tanks will be manufactured in batches. The planned production rate is currently pegged at thirty tanks per year, with the Army requesting fifty per year as the ideal.
On Oct. 13th 2006, the Indian Minister of Defence reported that the Arjun was slated for full scale production soon.[1]. He also stated that five tanks had already delivered to the Indian Army and 23 were ready for delivery.[2].
[edit] Specifications
The Arjun (Mk I) was developed after three decades of identifying requirements, design, evaluation, redesign process involving the DRDO and the Indian Army. Weighing in at 58.5 tons, it is significantly heavier than the Soviet-era T-series tanks used presently by the Indian Army, and requires changes to the army's logistics establishment. This along with concerns about the imported content and the required changes in production facilities has slowed adoption by the Indian Army.
Armed with a 120 mm rifled gun, it is capable of firing APFSDS (Kinetic Energy) rounds, HE, HEAT, High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) rounds and the Israeli semi-active laser guided LAHAT missile. In addition, it is armed with a 12.7 mm AA machine gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.
A special prefragmented round is also under development. This shell has a proximity fuse designed to be used against low-flying aircraft, such as attack helicopters. This round could now be supplanted by the LAHAT ATGM which is to be acquired for the Arjuns.
The Fire Control System is stabilised on two axes, and with an extremely high hit probability (design criteria call for a greater than 90% Pk) replaces an earlier analogue one, which had problems due to the extreme conditions during tests. The combined day sight from Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Thermal imager (formerly from Sagem, now reported to be from El-Op) is the gunner's primary sight. The first batch of tanks of the 124 ordered by the Army, will have an all digital Sagem FCS, whereas the second block will have the BEL unit, which will be used for all units thereafter. The design and development of the BEL IGMS (Indigenous Gunners Main Sight), the name for the local fire control system, is a huge step forward for Indian industry, given its demanding specifications. The commander's own stabilised panoramic sight, allows him to engage targets and/or hand them over to the gunner. The Arjun was to be supplied by an auxiliary power unit to operate weapon systems in silent watch mode, but space constraints may have led to this requirement being dropped.
The tank incorporates GPS based navigation systems, sophisticated frequency hopping radios. The state-of-the-art Battlefield Management System, developed by DRDO allows it to network with other fighting units. It is protected by a Laser warning system and smoke launchers for counter measures. To further enhance combat survivability, the tank has an auto-fire detection and suppression system. Ammunition is also stowed in watertight containers to reduce the risk of fire.
Arjun has been designed with Western design practices in mind, especially reflected in its crew protection features. With a crew of four, it incorporates heavy composite armour and significant crew protection measures, including ammunition separated from the crew, and blow off panels on the turret bustle, and an integrated fire detection and suppression system. It also incorporates nuclear, biological and chemical protection. Further, Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) panels can be added, though the current Kanchan armour is deemed sufficient for the Arjuns tank-killing role. The turret and glacis are heavily armoured and use "Kanchan" (gold) composite armour. The turret has been designed with the ergonomics of Indian Army troops in mind. The typical crew consists of a Gunner, Commander, Loader and Driver.
The engine and transmission are provided by MTU and Renk respectively. The engine generates 1,400 hp and is integrated with an Indian turbocharger and gearbox. A local transmission is under trials and will ultimately replace the Renk supplied unit. The tracks which were being supplied by Diehl are now being manufactured by L & T, an Indian company. The cooling pack has been designed for desert operations. The Arjun has a lower ground pressure than the lighter T-72, due to its design. The Arjun, despite using a bulkier and older powerplant than comparable western tanks, still boasts a lower silhouette. This was a significant design success for Indian engineers.
The Arjun has a state of the art hydro-pneumatic suspension. This coupled with the Arjun's excellent stabilisation and fire control system, allows the tank superb first-hit probability. Its ride comfort is highly praised, though on the negative side, it is a more maintenance-intensive and expensive system, even if more capable, than the simpler and cheaper torsion bar system utilized on many tanks worldwide.
The Arjun has a capability to network with other tanks, thanks to its Battle Management System. In a search and engage operation, referred to as the "Wolfpack/Hunter Network", several Arjun Tanks can monitor an opponent and his moves, and eliminate him in a chase or ambuscade.
[edit] Variants
- A 155 mm self-propelled howitzer variant of the Arjun (labelled 'Bhim') has been prototyped by fitting the South African Denel T6 turret, which comes with the G5 howitzer to the Arjun chassis. This project has been delayed as DENEL has become embroiled in a corruption scandal in India, and hence the Indian Ministry of Defence has suspended the Bhim.
- A bridge layer based on the Arjun chassis has also been displayed by the DRDO. Developed in cooperation with Indian industry, this bridge layer is deemed superior to the T-72 based units, as it can handle a larger load and uses a "scissors type" bridgelaying method, which does not raise the bridge high up into the air, and hence make it visible from afar.
- Armoured engineering vehicles based on the Arjun are also assumed to be in development, as the Arjun induction will require units of a similar power to weight ratio or powerful enough to tow it, or recover it on the battlefield.
- Tank EX: A new tank obtained by coupling a T-72 chassis and an Arjun turret. Only prototypes have been built so far.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Arjun induction: move to support indigenisation process, in the Hindu
- 'Arjun' to roll out on August 7, in the Hindu
- 'Bhishma' handed over to Army, about India's T-90S tanks, in the Hindu
- Arjun Photos
 Ariete |  Arjun |  Challenger 2 |  Ch'onma-ho |  K1 | K2 Black Panther |  Leclerc |  Leopard 2 |  M1 Abrams |  / MBT 2000 M-84 |  Merkava |  PT-91 Twardy |  T-80 |  T-84 |  T-90 |  Type 90 | Type 96 | Type 99 | Zulfigar |
