phsed Upgrade
According to Sivakumar:
In phase I, 45 tanks will roll out with 56 upgrades, including the missile firing capability and the commander's panoramic sight with night vision. Phase I production of Arjun Mark-II will be completed by July 2011
In phase II, the remaining 79 tanks, with all the 93 improvements, will come off the assembly line. By 2013-14, the first batch of around 30 tanks will go out, Dr. Sivakumar said. Phase 2 production will be completed by June 2012.
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AntiTank Missile
DRDOs Chief Controller for Armaments and Combat Engineering, S Sundaresh, told Business Standard, in April, 2010:
We had test-fired the Israeli LAHAT missile through the Arjun gun as far back as in 2005," said Sundaresh. It will take us about six months to integrate the LAHATs designator into the Arjuns fire control system.
Era
The ERA will entail an additional 2 ton penalty, pushing the tanks weight up to 60 tons. However, DRDO believes the tanks 1,500 HP engine easily accommodate the extra weight.
The ERA will protect the Arjuns crews from enemy missiles. Initially we will fit the same Russian ERA that protects the T-90 and the T-72. But, we will also develop our own indigenous ERA.
The HVF can deliver upto 50 tanks in a year.
Laser Warning Systems
According to unconfirmed reports Arjun Mk-II will be equipped with a Laser Warning Systems developed by Elbit of Israel.
The systems provide 360-degree coverage with accurate and timely warnings of laser and radar-guided threats that can automatically trigger a full array of countermeasures.
Elbit Systems Laser Warning System (E-LAWS) and Threat Detection System (TDS) detect, categorize and pinpoint laser sources such as rangefinders, designators, beam riders, infrared illuminators and trainers. In addition to laser sources, the Multi Threat Detection System (MTDS) detects, categorizes and pinpoints radar/RF sources. All of these systems allow for training within the vehicle and include built-in test.
Armor Protection System
According to unconfirmed reports Arjun Mk-II will also be fitted with the Iron Fist APS (Active Protection System) developed by srael Military Industries (IMI).
The Iron Fist APS is designed to defeat RPGs, tank rounds and guided missiles, including those fitted with tandem warheads.
It uses passive and active sensor for threat detection, situational awareness and fire control.
The Iron Fist APS can employ both an electro-optical soft kill countermeasure and hard kill interceptors that are launched against incoming threats.
Iron Fist doesn't use "hit to kill" against an enemy projectile in order to avoid dangerous shrapnel. Instead it uses a close proximity blast to defeat the threat, crushing the soft components of a shaped charge or deflecting and destabilizing the missile or kinetic rod in their flight.
The use of a blastalso reduces the complexity and cost of interception.
The interceptor is made of combustible envelope, fully consumed in the explosion.
Iron Fist also accurately determines the launch point of the projectile enabling rapid counterstrike, thus eliminating repeated attacks.
