Punjab canal bridges too fragile for Arjun tank : DRDO Chief

[sudhir007]

Punjab canal bridges too fragile for Arjun tank : DRDO Chief | idrw.org

The armored regiments of Indian Army, equipped with the much-talked about ‘Arjun’ tank, will have to carry large iron bridges during their deployment in Punjab as the bridges over canals in the state won’t withstand the tank’s weight.

According to Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO), during trials the heavyweight Arjun tank was found unsuitable for Punjab terrain as there are chances that the bridges over canals in the state may collapse with the tank’s weight. It was revealed by director general, DRDO, V K Saraswat on Friday during his visit to DRDO’s Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) near Chandigarh. In reply to a question related to shortcomings of Arjun tank, Saraswat said that during trials the tank was found better in mobility and accuracy in comparison to Army’s mainstay T-90 tanks. “During the trials it was found that canal bridges in Punjab were incapable of carrying its weight,” he said.

Saraswat who is also the secretary, department of defence, R&D, added that the problem in Punjab can be tackled with the use of large iron bridges developed by DRDO for smooth transportation of troops in hostile terrain.

He, however, added that the tank was found to be most suitable for deployment in the Thar deserts of Rajasthan. Importantly, Rajasthan and Punjab are strategically very important for the Army as both the states share major portion of boundaries with neighboring Pakistan.

 

[Dash]

Someone please shut his mouth......

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

this logistic problem was one of the reasons for the reluctance of army to induct arjun in big numbers.

 

[Koovie]

Someone please shut his mouth......

Why should he?

 

[Sergi]

Why should he?

So that he could/should work on the problem

He should seriously reconsider his too much media friendliness

 

[1ndy]

First they made an overweight tank now saying that it can't cross river because bridges are not strong enough.

 

[Armstrong]

I don't understand; I was under the impression, an impression made so by some of the more informed Indian posters here, that because of Arjun's superior weight distribution along its chassis the pressure exerted on the ground is quite less than it would be for a Tank of that tonnage & unless I'm mistaken someone even compared it to be less than that exerted by the T-90s !

 

[INDIAISM]

^^Gaon wasya Nhi Te luttan Wale Pehle aa gye

Why should he?

So that his work can do the talking....Btw Govt should make sure next should not be suffering from oral diarrhea....This chap has a bad habbit of keeping himself in limelight..

 

[Sergi]

I don't understand; I was under the impression, an impression made so by some of the more informed Indian posters here, that because of Arjun's superior weight distribution along its chassis the pressure exerted on the ground is quite less than it would be for a Tank of that tonnage & unless I'm mistaken someone even compared it to be less than that exerted by the T-90s !

Yes that's correct. And lower weight per sq inch make sure tank doesn't sink in the sand or mud

But as far as the bridges are considered they are made with the maximum weight carrying capacity. You can't load a bridge beyond that.

 

[Ayush]

I don't understand; I was under the impression, an impression made so by some of the more informed Indian posters here, that because of Arjun's superior weight distribution along its chassis the pressure exerted on the ground is quite less than it would be for a Tank of that tonnage & unless I'm mistaken someone even compared it to be less than that exerted by the T-90s !

dont know nothing about that.what i always knew was arjun is a heavy tank,which could be deployed mainly on our western border(with pak) and not in the north east due to the fact that the hilly terrains wont be able to take up its weight.

 

[Sugarcane]

He should conduct practical test to prove his point of bridge's fragility

 

[Sergi]

He should conduct practical test to prove his point of bridge's fragility

Ya. We need a observer under bridge. You interested ???

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I don't understand; I was under the impression, an impression made so by some of the more informed Indian posters here, that because of Arjun's superior weight distribution along its chassis the pressure exerted on the ground is quite less than it would be for a Tank of that tonnage & unless I'm mistaken someone even compared it to be less than that exerted by the T-90s !

What you are saying is true. The Ground Pressure of the Arjun in terms of Kg/cm2 is less than the T-90. Which means that will exert less pressure on 'plain ground'. A Bridge is not 'plain ground'. It is itself a 'span of a certain length' suspended on the ends of the span on either piers or end embankments. Which is "point loading" not "area loading" like plain ground. All the weight of the "Tank + Bridge" is now being transmitted through those "loading points that the Bridge Spans" are resting on.

Now let me tell you that the ground pressure of a 60kg woman wearing stilletto heels may be more than the ground pressure of an Arjun Tank !

The only way out may then be to rebuild the Bridges or carry Portable Bridging Eqpt.

 

[Sugarcane]

Ya. We need a observer under bridge. You interested ???

In 1.2 billion you can't find observers? anyway i can provide you this service via satellite

 

[farhan_9909]

I still dont understand when army had issues with 58t arjun mk1 than why the hell they increased the weight to 67t in mk2?

they should have decreased the weight to 50-52t and the 1400hp powerplant was OK