India had had experience at manufacturing licensed tanks with the British Firm Vickers Defence Systems Mk1 from 1965 to 1983. In short it was a cheap version of the Chieftain, mounting the L7 105mm rifled cannon. 2200 were manufactured and was designated the Vijayanta. From 1979, India was importing and building under licence the Russian export model T-72M1 (Indian designation Ajeya) in the region of some 2200 vehicles.
The Arjun is India’s first true effort at an indigenous tank. However it is hard to see how a vehicle that relies on 60% of its components being imported as “indigenous".
The vehicle uses a 120mm rifled cannon. This was chosen over the smoothbore as like the British Army, the Indian Army highly value the HESH round. 39 rounds are stored in a separated storage in the turret with blow out panels, similar to the system used on the US Abrams. The operator can reload the cannon at a rate of 6 rounds a minute. Interestingly the rounds used are one part. The semi-active laser guided LAHAT missile can also be fired from the main cannon with a range of 8km+.
For close encounters, the vehicle has a 12.7mm AA MG on the commanders cupola and a coaxial 7.62mm.
After failure of a locally developed fire control system, and one supplied by a Israeli defence company, a new all-digital Sagem system is due to be installed. This could be changed at a later date for one supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited. The gunner has a day and thermal sight, whilst the commander has an independent sight, giving the vehicle a hunter killer capability. With the added bonus of hydrogas suspension, the vehicle has an excellent first hit rate.
The Arjun has modern up to date communications systems and a Battlefield Management System, developed by DRDO & Israel firm Ebit, increasing situational awareness. It has an auxiliary unit to power these systems if required.
The original engine manufactured in India proved ineffective, so German firm MTU now supply the 838 KA 501 ten cylinder water-cooled engine, which generates 1400hp. It uses a German Renk gearbox with four forward and two reverse gears. German firm Diehl provide the tracks which are reported to provide a good low ground-pressure required to prevent sinking in the Indian deserts/hot sands.
The vehicle uses a locally developed modular armour which contains a number of ceramic materials and steel. Designated as Kanchan armour AKA gold, its reported that the armour has taken a close range shot from a T-72 and proved impenetrable. It has a modern fire suppression system in the turret and a laser warning system.
So what’s the future for the Arjun? Despite it being probably the longest development project of a MBT (some 35 years), if it had been ready for production some 10 to 15 years ago, there is no doubt that the vehicle would be the current MBT of the Indian Army. It provides good protection, firepower and mobility, but with its delayed development and the never ending field tests (its to complete a comparative test with the T-90 in the summer of 2009) and never ending snagging list, combined with Pakistan’s new Al Khalid MBT, India has purchased 310 and licence manufacturing 1000 of the Russian T-90 export model, the T-90S, which started in 2006. One of the Arjun’s problem has been its size which has caused strategic mobility problems. New railway carts are having to be built and of course it doesn’t use the same smoothbore & Cal munitions as used on the current T-72/T-90’s. Janes have said that the Indian Army has stated it will be only be purchasing 124 vehicles, but its manufacturers, Defence Research and Development Organisation believe that the project will not pay for it’s self unless 500 vehicles are ordered. The Tank-EX project, a hybrid T-72 hull and Arjun turret has also been cancelled due to the low orders for the Arjun.
Whilst researching about this vehicle, one factor facing the Arjun, is India’s inability to overhaul its own vehicles as demonstrated by the open international biding to overhaul its T-72 fleet (also rumoured to be another reason the T-90 was purchased). With all these facts to contend with, its hard to see where the future lies for what is a good main battle tank.
