Arjun (Sanskrit: अर्जुन) is a main battle tank developed by India's largest defense contractor, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), for the Indian Army. The tank is named after Arjun, one of the main characters of the Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata. Although the development of the tank began in 1972 by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), it was only in 1996 that the Indian government decided to mass produce the tank at DRDO's facility in Avadi. However, the first five units were not delivered until 2004. Meanwhile, the delays from 1990s to 2000s and failures in the Arjun project in 2005 , 2006, 2007 Trials prompted the Indian Army to order vast numbers of T-90S tanks from Russia to meet the defense needs that the Arjun had been expected to fulfil. In 2008 reports suggest that Indian army is "satisfied" with the performance of Arjun. After the Winter 2008 trials, the Indian Army chief, wrote to the defense ministry appreciating the tank's performance. In the letter he stated that "the tank was subjected to the most strenuous of tests and it performed 'admirably' well".
At the end of the 1971 war, the Indian army realized the limitations of their tank fleet in the harsh desert conditions of Rajasthan, a northwestern Indian state bordering Pakistan, so they initiated their own MBT design. The Main Battle Tank (MBT) occupies a pivotal role in the present day battle field on account of its ability to provide accurate fire power with cross country mobility, reasonable protection from conventional and nuclear threats and flexible response to changing battle situations.
In order to eliminate dependence on foreign countries for design and manufacture of Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV) and to place the country on par with super powers with regard to quality of tanks and also to eliminate completely the requirement of foreign exchange (FE) in the production of tanks, Government in May 1974 sanctioned a project for design and development of MBT by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at a total cost of Rs 15.50 crore (FE Rs 3.70 crore). The tanks were to be in service during 1985 to 2000 AD and were in replacement of existing tanks which were expected to be out-dated beyond 1985.
The Arjun features a 120 mm main rifled gun with indigenously developed APFSDS ammunition which has capability of defeating superior armor, one 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine gun giving the tank an edge over contemporary world tanks. It is powered by a single MTU multi-fuel diesel engine rated at 1,400 hp, and can achieve a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and a cross-country speed of 40 km/h (25 mph). It has a 4-man crew: commander, gunner, loader and driver. Automatic fire detection and suppression, and NBC protection systems are provided. All-round anti-tank warhead protection by the newly developed Kanchan armour is claimed to be much higher than available in present third generation tanks.
History
Initial plans and development
Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), with Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) as the main laboratory, was tasked with developing the hull, armor, turret, running gear and gun, with the powerpack being bought from abroad.
Despite DRDO's attempts at indigenization, the Arjun relied heavily on foreign components and technology. DRDO received major design assistance from Krauss Maffei, the developer of the German Leopard 2 tank, and several other German firms. As a result, Arjun's design is very similar to that of Leopard 2A4 tank. 50% of the tank's components are imported, which include the engine, transmission, gun barrel, tracks, and fire control system. Recent reports from India indicate that the Russian T-90S will form the mainstay of its future force, despite that tank’s performance issues in hot weather. At the same time, the Indian Army wants to cap production of indigenous Arjun tanks to 124 units, due to repeated trial failures and vast budget overruns.
The Arjun project has experienced serious budget overruns and repeated delays that resulted in a protracted development time of more than 37 years. While the government sanctioned Rs. 15.5 Crore for the initial part of the programme in May 1974, by 1995, DRDO had spent Rs. 300 Crore, due to changing requirements and inflationary cost increases. This was one of the highest over-run by percentage for any DRDO project.
Production
The Indian Army ordered 124 Arjuns in 2000. The first five were delivered to the army in August 2004.The cost of 124 Arjun MBT will be around $471.2 million.
Maiden Regiment
In May 2009 the Indian Army raised its maiden Arjun regiment with 44 armoured of the Indian Army. The army received 16 tanks from Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi, Tamil Nadu, taking the number of tanks delivered so far to 45. The Arjun will be pitted against the Russian T-90S during trial exercises in October-November 2009 to assess its operational capabilities.
W. Selvamurthy, chief controller of research and development at the DRDO said "These 124 tanks are in various stages of production. All of them will get inducted into the armed forces in March and April ... Other organisations are also giving us orders", adding that a few tanks have already been handed over.
Visualisation with Enhanced Digital Elevation Model and Soil Profile Analysis for MBT Arjun Simulator (VEDSAR)
After the criticism of Mobility of Arjun MBT, DRDO has have completed Visualisation with Enhanced Digital Elevation Model and Soil Profile Analysis for MBT Arjun Simulator (VEDSAR).VEDSAR involves how the main battle tank Arjun performed in different kinds of terrain.It uses data from Cartosat-1A.It will help in building a new project named Vehicular Interaction with Soil for Trafficability Assessment and Route-decision Aid (VISTAR).It provide the Army with information on the shortest possible distance between two points, the kind of obstacles present on the terrain.
"We are interacting with the Army and we have demonstrated our capability in these areas. Future warfare will be based on DEMs. Cruise missiles will fiy on elevation models. So knowledge of DEMs is crucial," V.K. Panchal told to frontline paper.This project was started due to unavailability of computer software that was not available in the market.."The inputs include space-borne data plus ground truths," he told to frontline paper.
Latest Development
DRDO is continuing to develop some new technology systems for MBT Arjun.
- Automatic target locating, tracking and destruction.
- DRDO is developing the Tank Urban Survival Kit which is a series of improvements to the Arjun intended to improve fighting ability in urban environments which includes defensive aids like laser warning, IR jammer, and aerosol smoke grenade system.
- DRDO also plans to develop robotic vehicles that will work on tele-link in addition to make the tracking of targets automatic.
- CVRDE is in the process of developing tank simulators.
- A new improved 1500 hp engine.
- Addition of Slope Armor in front region like in Leo2A6M.
- An anti-helicopter round is under development as well.
Specifications
Weighing in at 58.5 tons, the Arjun tank is significantly heavier than the Soviet-legacy tanks used presently by the Indian Army, and requires changes to the army's logistics establishment, including new rail cars to transport the bigger and heavier Arjuns.
Considered comparable to the M1A2 Abrams, Leopard 2, and Leclerc, the 59-ton "15th Variant" can achieve a maximum speed of 70 kph (55 mph) and cross-country speed of 40 kph with its 1400-hp powerplant. The 1,610-liter fuel tank allows for a cruising range of 200 km (120 miles). To ensure crew survivability, production versions will have the indigenously-researched and developed ‘Kanchan’ composite armor, an automatic fire detection and suppression system, and an NBC protection system designed and built by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center.
Armament
Armed with a 120 mm rifled gun, the Arjun is believed to be capable of firing APFSDS (Kinetic Energy) rounds, HE, HEAT, High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) rounds at the rate of 6-8 rounds per minute 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. The Arjun can carry 39 rounds in special blast-proof canisters. Loading is manual.
The rifled 120mm gun, which includes a muzzle reference system, is made of ESR steel and is fitted with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor. All main gun rounds use a semi-combustible cartridge case with increased energy propellant for higher muzzle velocity and greater penetration characteristics. In addition to the usual suite of rounds, an anti-helicopter round is under development as well. The Arjun’s fire control system includes a laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, thermal imaging night sight, stabilized panoramic sight for the tank commander, and a secondary telescopic sight. The LRF (integral to the gunner’s sight) has a range of nearly 10 km and a thermal imager (which can “see”’ at around 5.5 km, recognize a target at 3.1 km and identify targets at 2.5 km). The Arjun fire control system’s ability to fire on the move during the night is a major step forward for Indian armored forces.
The superior armor defeating capability of the indigenously developed Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot ammunition and 120 mm caliber rifled gun give MBT Arjun an edge over contemporary world tanks. A computer-controlled integrated fire control system incorporating day-cum-night stabilised sighting system guarantees a very high first round hit probability and reduced reaction time to bring effective fire on targets. All round protection from anti-tank ammunition is achieved by the newly developed Kanchan armour to a degree much higher than available in present generation tanks. The Arjun was to be the mainstay of the Indian Army.
The Arjun's rifled main gun is a rarity, main battle tanks of most other countries have smoothbore guns as standard. The British Challenger 2 is the only other MBT equipped with a rifled gun. Trials were conducted with the smoothbore Rheinmetall 120 mm gun.
120 Millimetre MBT Arjun Armament System
A state-of-the-art weapon and ammunition system has been developed by the DRDO for the Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by adopting novel design concepts and latest technological advancement at par with the industrially advanced countries. The system is capable of destroying modern heavy targets up to a range of 5000 m. All aspects leading to ergonomics, product reliability, maintenance, ease of operation, and futuristic performance enhancement have been incorporated in the design of the system.
The following indigenous technologies have been developed and established during the course of the system development.
- Electro slag refined (ESR) steel for gun barrels
- Partial length autofrettaging of gun barrels
- High pressure packing rings for recoil system
- Tungsten alloy penetrators
- Fin stabilised kinetic energy shot
- Special alloy steel obturating cups for cartridge cases
- Semi-combustible cartridge case and primer
Gun System
The 120 mm rifled gun for MBT Arjun is made of special steel produced by the latest ESR/Vacuum Arc Remelting process. This has enhanced the performance and fatigue life of the gun barrel. The gun barrel has been partially autofrettaged to a pressure of 800 MPa to achieve a proof pressure of the order of 612 MPa. This is the first indigenously developed gun capable of firing at such a high service pressure achieving muzzle velocity of 1650 m/s and above. Efficient fume extractor of the gun ensures that no toxic fumes are left in the crew compartment. The gun is fitted with FRP Thermal Insulating Jacket to obviate differential thermal effect, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the weapon system.
Recoil System
The Arjun recoil system is a compact, lightweight, short recoil hydro-spring type, capable of absorbing the thrust of high pressure and high velocity gun. The system consists of two hydro-spring buffers mounted diagonally to meet the stringent space requirement inside the fighting compartment. The innovative design of taper control rod gives uniform recoil and run-out, thereby enhancing the accuracy and life of the system and the high rate of fire. The high pressure and durable packing rings coupled with high surface-finish of mating components ensure longer life and high reliability. This is a sealed system, which requires practically no maintenance.
Ammunition System
Two types of ammunition, namely, Fin Stabilised Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) have been fully developed and productionised for MBT Arjun.
The complete round of Arjun ammunition system consists of a semi-combustible cartridge case with steel obturating cup, semi-combustible primer, propellant, additive liner for wear reduction of gun and FSAPDS shot/HESH shell. The semi-combustible cartridge case (SCCC) ammunition has the advantage of reduction of round and chamber length, weight of the round, ease of handling, higher muzzle velocity, higher rate of fire, longer barrel life, and logistics.
Steel Obturating Cup
The SCCC technology is being used in the contemporary tanks. Steel cup is a major component of SCCC technology used for indigenous development of the ammunition for the Arjun tank, and has been designed, developed and productionised by the DRDO for the first time in the country. This component provides effective obturation during firing of the ammunition.
FSAPDS
Fin stabilised armour piercing discarding sabot (FSAPDS) is the primary antitank ammunition for Arjun. The complete FSAPDS round consists of semi-combustible cartridge case, semi-combustible primer with steel obturating cup, triple-base propellant, and wear-reducing additive liner. The sub-calibre kinetic energy projectile has a very high-density long rod tungsten alloy penetrator enclosed in a three-piece sabot segment and a tail unit for in-flight stability with tracer. The shot is machined to a very high degree of precision with best CNC machines and online inspection to achieve the high standard of accuracy. This hyper velocity ammunition can defeat all the modern targets at a range of 5000 m and above. The accuracy and consistency of the shot is of the order of 0.2 mil standard deviation.
HESH
High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) is the secondary ammunition for Arjun and is effective against a variety of soft targets, tanks, fortifications, etc. The complete HESH round consists of a semi-combustible cartridge case, primer with steel obturating cup, and a single-base propellant. The optimised explosive composition of HESH defeats rolled homogenous armour plate detaching a scab of about 9 kg mass moving with a velocity of 100 to 120 m/s. Besides the scabbing effect, blast and shock imparts a tremendous jolt to the enemy tank stripping off explosive reactive armour and incapacitating the crew severely, thereby affecting their fighting capabilities. The accuracy of the HESH is of the order of 0.25 mil standard deviation.
The gun/ammunition system has been fully optimised and integrated with the MBT Arjun, meeting the stringent GSQR for consistency, penetration, lethality and high rate of fire. The production in ordnance factories has been well established. Strict quality control measures in the production stage and the final inspection stage are being maintained by DGQA/SQAE to ensure highest standard of quality.
Ordnance &Ammunition Data
Ordnance
Calibre 120 mm rifled
Breech type Vertical sliding breechblock
Semiautomatic/hand operated
Firing mechanism Electrical
Ordnance length 6050 mm
Ordnance mass 2025 kg
Barrel life 500 EFC
Thermal Insulating Jacket (TIJ)
Material FRP
No. of units 2 (front and rear)
Type Split type, hinged
Recoil System
Type Hydro spring taper rod type
No. of cylinders 2
Normal recoil 350 mm
Recoil fluid Oil mineral hydraulic buffer
Mass of each buffer 90 kg
Ammunition
Scab mass 9 kg
Scab diameter 280 mm
Scab velocity 120 m/s
HESH/T 1A
Type of ammunition Fixed SCCC
Muzzle velocity 735 m/s
Round length 996 mm
Round mass 22 kg
Consistency 0.25 mil
FSAPDS/T 1A
Type of ammunition Fixed SCCC
Muzzle velocity 1650 m/s and above
Round length 940 mm
Round mass 20 kg
Consistency 0.20 mil
Fire Control and Navigation
Fire control and navigation technologies are provided by Elbit, an Israeli defence company. Extensive attention has been placed on the Israeli Elbit-brand two-axis fire-control system - this coupled with the Arjun's complicated - yet state-of-the-art - hyrdopneumatic suspension system and gun stabilization components allows the Arjun to achieve a great "first-hit" capability on par with most any current generation MBT. The Fire Control System has an extremely high hit probability (design criteria call for a greater than 0.9 Pk) replaces an earlier analogue one, which had problems due to its inability to function under the harsh desert conditions. The combined day sight from Bharat Electronics Ltd. and the thermal imager (formerly from Sagem, now reported to be from El-Op) constitute 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 commander's own stabilised panoramic sight allows him to engage targets and/or hand them over to the gunner. The Arjun has an auxiliary power unit to operate weapon systems in silent watch mode as well.
The Chassis and Automative System of MBT Arjun comprises main chassis, power pack (1400 HP engine coupled to hydromech transmission), running gear with hydropneumatic suspension, integrated fuel system, advanced electrical system and other dedicated special systems like integrated fire detection and suppression system. The chassis is fabricated from rolled homogenous armour plate using advanced welding technique. Frontal armour is of Kanchan composite sandwitched between armour plates. This fully integrated Arjun chassis and Automative System having smooth riding characteristics can be used as a mobile platform for any advanced weapon system. An extremely effective hydropneumatic suspension system has been developed for MBT Arjun. The suspension is externally mounted and provides vehicle springing and damping. It consists of one bogey wheel pair for each suspension station. Gaseous medium in the hydropneumatic suspension is for all terrain maneuverability for exploiting the power available. Casing and hub of the hydropneumatic suspension are sealed for preventing dust ingression and water seepage into the casing during operation in marshy area or shallow/medium fording. The MBT Arjun is fitted with double-pin steel track with detachable rubber pads. It is made out of steel casting having two bores for insertion of rubberised pins. It is an integral piece incorporating guide horns and has got a provision for insertion of detachable pads. The end connectors are induction-hardened in the area which comes in contact with the sprocket teeth to prevent wear.
The tank incorporates GPS based navigation systems and sophisticated frequency hopping radios. The state-of-the-art Battlefield Management System, co-developed by DRDO and Ebit Israel, allows it to network with other fighting units. The Arjun has the capability to network with other tanks, thanks to its Battle Management System. In a search and engage operation, several Arjun Tanks can monitor an opponent and his moves, and try to eliminate him in a chase or ambush.
Protection
The turret and glacis are heavily armoured and use "Kanchan" ("gold") modular composite armour. The Kanchan Armor got its name from Kanchan Bagh, Hyderabad, where the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) is located. The armour is made by sandwiching composite panels between Rolled Homogenous Armor (RHA) to defeat APFDS or HEAT rounds. During the trials in 2000 ,the Kanchan was able to withstand a hit from a T-72 at point blank range, and was able to defeat all available HESH and FSAPDS rounds, which included the Israeli FSAPDS rounds. A new honeycomb design non-explosive and non-energetic reactive armour (NERA) armour is reportedly being tested on the Arjun.
The integrated fire and explosion suppression system developed for MBT Arjun is based on state-of-the-art technology. The indigenous development of this system is considered to be a breakthrough in the field of fire protection engineering. It is capable of suppressing hydrocarbon fuel fire/explosion resulting from an enemy hit on the tank or due to any malfunctioning of the engine, transmission or any electrical short circuiting. The system is based on infra-red detectors for the detection of fire/explosion in the crew compartment of the battle tank and a continuous type of linear thermal detector popularly known as fire-wire for the engine compartment. Halon-1301 has been employed as a fire extinguishing medium. The system is capable of detection and suppression of hydrocarbon fuel fire/explosion in the crew compartment within 200 milliseconds and in the engine compartment within 15 s thereby enhancing the chances of survivability of the crew and battle effectiveness of the tank.
Mobility
The engine and transmission are provided by German companies MTU and Renk respectively. The water-cooled engine generates 1,400 hp and is integrated with an Indian turbocharger and epicyclic train gearbox with four forward and 2 reverse gears. A local transmission is under trials and will envisions to ultimately replace the Renk-supplied unit. The tracks which were being supplied by German company 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 has a state-of-the-art hydro-pneumatic suspension. This coupled with the Arjun's stabilisation and fire control system allows the tank superb first-hit probability against moving targets while on the move. 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 older tanks worldwide. During trials, the Arjun showcased its fording capability, by driving under 6 feet of water for 20 minutes.
A new 1500 hp engine is being developed that will eventually replace the present engine. An allocation of 40 crore Rupees has been allocated for the project which is expected to be completed within five years.
| Type | Main battle tank |
|---|---|
| Place of origin |  India |
| Service history | |
| In service | Indian Army |
| Production history | |
| Designer | CVRDE, DRDO |
| Manufacturer | Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi |
| Unit cost | $3.4 mn (Rs 14 crore)[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 58.5 tonnes |
| Length | 10.638 m |
| Width | 3.864 m |
| Height | 2.32 m |
| Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver) |
|
|
|
| Armor | composite Kanchan armour. |
| Primary armament |
120 mm rifled tank gun Lahat anti-tank missile HEAT, APFSDS, HESH Rounds |
| Secondary armament |
HCB 12.7mm AA MG Mag 7.62mm Tk715 coaxial MG |
| Engine | MTU 838 Ka 501 diesel 1400 hp (1040 kW) |
| Power/weight | 24 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | hydropneumatic |
| Ground clearance | 0.45 m |
| Fuel capacity | 1610 l |
| Operational range |
450 km |
| Speed | 72 km/h |
Variants
- A 155 mm self-propelled howitzer variant of the Arjun (labelled 'Bhima') 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 tank (BLT) 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.India’s main battle tank, Arjun, has taken the “avatar” of a bridge laying tank (BLT). The R&DE(E) did this by replacing the tank’s gun and turret with the bridge launcher. The bridge is cantilevered over chasms or across rivers to cover a distance of 26 m with a width of 4 m. The BLT-Arjun carries two halves of a bridge. At a wet or dry gap, the launcher slides the two parts and docks them to each other in such a way that the far end of the second half touches the other bank. The BLT then crosses the bridge, turns around, retrieves the bridge after undocking its two halves, folds it and is ready to move with the armoured column.
- 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-90 chassis and an Arjun turret. Only prototypes have been built so far.
Operators
India
- Indian Army 45+ delivered
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