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India displayed the latest version of the locally developed Arjun Mk II main battle tank (MBT) during the National Day parade in New Delhi on 26 January.
The version on show in Delhi had a number of features not seen on a model that began its final round of trials in the Rajasthan desert in August 2013.
An integrated explosive reactive armor (ERA) system has been installed on the glacis plate that is in addition to the previously observed 'arrowhead' ERA over the front of the turret.
Survivability is further enhanced by the installation of what appears to be an advanced laser warning and countermeasure system (ALWACS) developed with the help of Israeli company Elbit. The four ALWACS elements are mounted at each corner of the turret to provide 360-degree coverage, but are potentially vulnerable to small arms fire and shell splinters.
A remote weapon station (RWS) has been fitted to the turret for the first time. The RWS is armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun.
The vehicle is also fitted with a bank of eight 81 mm grenade launchers either side of the turret that are similar to those fitted on the Russian T-72M1 and T-90S MBTs used by India.
The 120 mm rifled gun is retained with a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted co-axial. The 120 mm gun is fitted with a thermal sleeve, fume extractor, and a muzzle reference system; the latter allows the weapon to be bore sighted without the crew leaving the vehicle.
According to the Arjun's developer, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), as well as firing conventional ammunition, including armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot, the gun can fire 120 mm thermobaric type ammunition and laser guided projectiles.
It is understood that the latter is the Israeli Aerospace Industries LAser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT) projectile, which is fitted with tandem HEAT warhead to destroy targets fitted with ERA.
The ability to fire LAHAT will also enable the Arjun Mk II to engage targets well beyond the effective conventional range of the 120 mm gun. Maximum range of the LAHAT is quoted as 8 km plus.
A computerised day/thermal fire control system is fitted and the Arjun Mk II has a new panoramic sighting system on the right side of the turret roof. This has a number of openings indicating that it has day/night/laser rangefinder capability and could carry out hunter/killer target engagements.
The DRDO, which anticipates orders for about 250 Arjun Mk IIs at a cost of INR370 million (USD6 million) per tank, also said the Arjun Mk II has an automatic target tracker and a land navigation system. Another new feature identified on the Arjun Mk II seen in Delhi are blow-out panels in the turret roof towards the rear.
The version on show in Delhi had a number of features not seen on a model that began its final round of trials in the Rajasthan desert in August 2013.
An integrated explosive reactive armor (ERA) system has been installed on the glacis plate that is in addition to the previously observed 'arrowhead' ERA over the front of the turret.
Survivability is further enhanced by the installation of what appears to be an advanced laser warning and countermeasure system (ALWACS) developed with the help of Israeli company Elbit. The four ALWACS elements are mounted at each corner of the turret to provide 360-degree coverage, but are potentially vulnerable to small arms fire and shell splinters.
A remote weapon station (RWS) has been fitted to the turret for the first time. The RWS is armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun.
The vehicle is also fitted with a bank of eight 81 mm grenade launchers either side of the turret that are similar to those fitted on the Russian T-72M1 and T-90S MBTs used by India.
The 120 mm rifled gun is retained with a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted co-axial. The 120 mm gun is fitted with a thermal sleeve, fume extractor, and a muzzle reference system; the latter allows the weapon to be bore sighted without the crew leaving the vehicle.
According to the Arjun's developer, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), as well as firing conventional ammunition, including armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot, the gun can fire 120 mm thermobaric type ammunition and laser guided projectiles.
It is understood that the latter is the Israeli Aerospace Industries LAser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT) projectile, which is fitted with tandem HEAT warhead to destroy targets fitted with ERA.
The ability to fire LAHAT will also enable the Arjun Mk II to engage targets well beyond the effective conventional range of the 120 mm gun. Maximum range of the LAHAT is quoted as 8 km plus.
A computerised day/thermal fire control system is fitted and the Arjun Mk II has a new panoramic sighting system on the right side of the turret roof. This has a number of openings indicating that it has day/night/laser rangefinder capability and could carry out hunter/killer target engagements.
The DRDO, which anticipates orders for about 250 Arjun Mk IIs at a cost of INR370 million (USD6 million) per tank, also said the Arjun Mk II has an automatic target tracker and a land navigation system. Another new feature identified on the Arjun Mk II seen in Delhi are blow-out panels in the turret roof towards the rear.
