India may pull in Israeli IMI for next tank Project

[Omega007]

This was said a long time ago but there is no doubt the FMBT will be heavier than the Arjun Mk.2 this is the trend the world over for MBTs. There was a period when people assumed that APS and ECM would allow for the introduction of far lighter MBTs but now this has been abandoned and more and more armour is being put on the tanks increasing the weights. The FMBT will be no different.

Unless of course we go for an unmanned turret with crew emplaced in the hull.That way the overall weight can be reduced to say ~50-52 metric tons and still it would offer a protection level of far higher degree compared to current generation tank.I think that's the approach Indian authorities should take.

 

[Omega007]

BTW Sirjee,

Indian and Israeli tank design philosophies are different. They keep Engine in-front and their tank serves as role of infantry carrier also, both characterstice which would be useful in Urban warfare but are of no use in open warfare la Indo-Pak style.

Do you think a joint product in this case may be developed?

That's pure marketting gimmick to be honest.In practice,the IDF does not carry infantry men in the Merkava Mk4 and for good reasons.And installing the engine in the front is actually a terrible way to **** up the front hull protection,that's why no one else has done that so far.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Unless of course we go for an unmanned turret with crew emplaced in the hull.That way the overall weight can be reduced to say ~50-52 metric tons and still it would offer a protection level of far higher degree compared to current generation tank.I think that's the approach Indian authorities should take.

I'm sure the DRDO will look at all options.

 

[Omega007]

I'm sure the DRDO will look at all options.

I hope so.Actually the idea of unmanned turret is great on paper but it is also more maintainance intensive.Lets see what happens but the Army is taking too fucking long to draft its GSQR.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Why not a PPP approach, like with TATA Kestral? It was developed and shown very quickly.

http://www.innovasjonnorge.no/PageF..._TML_Norway_delegation_12Dec2013 Pant Bye.pdf

From a TATA document shows they have some ambition in producing next gen MBT.

 

[sancho]

Why not a PPP approach, like with TATA Kestral? It was developed and shown very quickly.

If they were smart and were about getting things done, instead of showing off, they would simply expand the partnership with TATA, which most likely will go for a joint development of the tracked IFV version anyway. The next logical step then would be light tank versions based on the same platform and so on. With large numbers of T90s and the Arjuns on order, I would even question if another heavy MBT is needed, or if larger numbers of light to medium tanks would be better in the range of 35 to 45t.

 

[Abingdonboy]

With large numbers of T90s and the Arjuns on order, I would even question if another heavy MBT is needed, or if larger numbers of light to medium tanks would be better in the range of 35 to 45t.

Well they are only relevant so long. The DRDO is not talking about the immediate needs of the IA but the future needs (from 2020 onwards) and thus it is very much a positive signal that they are gearing up now to meet this requirement.

There is no need in the IA sleep walking into the same capability gap the IAF faces today with the MiG-21s/27s still flying around.

 

[$@rJen]

Instead of T-80s India should've bout Merkava... Man that's one hell of a tank.. look itself would scare the Enemies

 

[sancho]

There is no need in the IA sleep walking into the same capability gap the IAF faces today with the MiG-21s/27s still flying around.

Isn't DRDO responsible for the gap of IAF, because of the mess they created with LCA and isn't it even the mess DRDO put IA into with Arjun, the reason for the FMBT?

 

[Omega007]

Isn't DRDO responsible for the gap of IAF, because of the mess they created with LCA and isn't it even the mess DRDO put IA into with Arjun, the reason for the FMBT?

Well,in case of the LCA,can't disagree with what you said.But Arjun is difference story altogether because from what I've come to know so far,some of the Army top brass are as much to blame if not more as DRDO.

 

[Omega007]

If they were smart and were about getting things done, instead of showing off, they would simply expand the partnership with TATA, which most likely will go for a joint development of the tracked IFV version anyway. The next logical step then would be light tank versions based on the same platform and so on. With large numbers of T90s and the Arjuns on order, I would even question if another heavy MBT is needed, or if larger numbers of light to medium tanks would be better in the range of 35 to 45t.

In any case,Krestel is too lightly armored to be a frontline ICV of the future battle field.Just take a look at the trend world over - be it the Germans,the Turks,the Americans,the Koreans,Israelis and even the Ruskies all of them are going for 35-40 ton class ICVs.Because they have understood that unless and until we can come up with some revolutionary break through in material science,there is simply no way to give the ICVs adequate protection against ever increasing threat of modern anti armor weapons and also keep the weight low at the same time.So India can not be different in this regard either,unless of course we want to knowingly throw our soldiers into the jaws of almost certain death.

 

[Derolo]

T-90S/MS is a tank whereas Arjun is an overweight tank

 

[NKVD]

T-90S/MS is a tank whereas Arjun is an overweight tank

arjun is heavy class tank with Ability Engage Moving Targets with Great Accuracy.Israelis find it great.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Isn't DRDO responsible for the gap of IAF, because of the mess they created with LCA and isn't it even the mess DRDO put IA into with Arjun, the reason for the FMBT?

Well we both know the LCA mess is down to DRDO, the IAF, initial over ambitious targets and certain external factors. The FMBT is not to clear up any mess but a future requirement of the IA's (like the IAF's 5th ten requirements) to fight future wars and has nothing to do with the Arjun issues. Even if the Arjun was ordered in the 1000s the IA would still need a FMBT in the future and this requirement would still exist for the DRDO to work on.

 

[Abingdonboy]

T-90S/MS is a tank whereas Arjun is an overweight tank

Overweight by what measure? The T-90S is a medium class MBT, Arjun is a Heavy class MBT.

The Arjun actually has lower ground pressure than the T-90S so..............