India has recently conducted field trial tests with new local-made Arjun Mk-II main battle tank

[vivINDIAN]

India has recently conducted field trial tests of its new local-made main battle tank Arjun Mk-II, an upgraded version of the Arjun Mk-I version, have thrown mixed results with the fire power comprising Israeli LAHAT missile falling short of expectation even as its overall performance left defence scientists upbeat.

New Indian-made main battle tank Arjun Mk II during field trial tests.

Arjun Mk- II was put to extensive tests including a lot of firing from May to August this year in Rajasthan, a defence source said, adding that the tank also covered more than 1,000 km in the field trials. The Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO) are separately evaluating results of the field trials held at the desert of Rajasthan.
There was no dispute between the developers and the users on the tank's performance on around 60 per cent of the parameters, the source said. In fact, DRDO scientists plan to showcase the Arjun tank's advanced version at the Republic Day parade next year.

But the trial outcome showed that the tank underperformed on two major counts – missile firing capability and muzzle reference system ( MRS). The MRS is an electronic device that is intended to measure the current value of a tank barrel bend in order to take it into account when firing the gun and, therefore, to improve the accuracy of firing.

The Israeli LAHAT missile performed well but it left a lot of smoke in the tank's compartment, the source said. Efforts were already underway to sort out the issue. Help is also being sought from the missile's manufacturer Israeli Aerospace Industries ( IAI).

The Army agreed to accept Arjun Mk- II after the DRDO made several improvements to meet its expectations.

Subsequently, the DRDO decided to develop the upgraded version with 16 major and 56 minor changes. The Arjun core committee, comprising Army representatives and DRDO scientists, met every year to remove obstacles so that delays could be avoided. Within a short span of two- and- ahalf- year after the parameters for Arjun Mk- II were finalised, DRDO scientists were able to build two prototypes.

India has recently conducted field trial tests with new local-made Arjun Mk-II main battle tank 0912Â -Â Army Recognition

 

[jaiind]

im completely fed up with Arjun

 

[indoPunjabi]

I like it's killer looks

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Its time we start inducting and start preparing war excercises with this tank. !

 

[chanikya]

The tank looks good, but still it have few flaws

like

 

[hari sud]

DRDO is less to be blamed in this whole episode in Arjun II.

It is the army puting brakes all the time.

They need perfection or nothing less. Read in between the lines that, interested parties are bribing the army Generals to push for T-90.

Some of the objections raised are so minor that they should not be issue at all. But these arms merchants have found so much strangeolhold on the Indian line that the Defence Ministry and army would have to be overhauled.

India needs a Defence Minister.

 

[xuxu1457]

Looks not bad, from shape the one is veru suit for gobi desert terrain

 

[The_Sidewinder]

Nice looks. May be we could do with some experts point of view about the flaws.

 

[IBRIS]

How about shutting the army guys up with throwing in couple of air purifiers. It should cost couple of hundred dollars. Nothing that DRDO can't rectify with hard cash they get showered with. This shouldn't even be a news.

 

[IndoUS]

I guess the issue with LAHAT will be easy to rectify considering we are already taking consultancy help from Israel in regards of design and upgrades.

 

[Indian Tiger]

Arjun is delayed but it has very good features..

Arjun uses the indigenously developed kanchan armour. the Kanchan armour defeated a 106 mm RCL gun which was tried on the Arjun Tank. 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 armour piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds, which included the Israeli APFSDS rounds.

Arjun MK2 Tank's weight has also been reduced to 55 tons from 59-64 tons. Uinit cost is US$2.6 million, which is almost half the price when comparing with its other counterparts. These tanks should be inducted in large numbers..

 

[KRAIT]

If our Army don't want to buy it for themselves, at least sell them to other countries.

Like China developed few things for other countries which it don't intend to use.

 

[Tangent]

...I think DRDO should engage Russians to market Arjun to IA..
They are pretty good in marketing and using honey traps....

 

[madooxno9]

Just give it a Russian name like T-101 and ask russian to market it to our own Army and you will get best results

 

[Restore Sanity Please]

China Media rates Arjun over their own Type 99. Al-Khalid does not even feature in their top 10 tanks list. Link : Asitimes: China's media ranks 10 world leading tanks