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01:45 26/06/2012 NEW DELHI, June 26 (RIA Novosti)
India has started testing a deeply modernized version of its domestically-developed Arjun main battle tank.
The trials of the Arjun Mark II main battle tank (MBT) began at the Pokhran field firing range in northwestern
India on June 22 and will continue until the end of July.
The testing focuses on 19 major modifications to improve the features that came under heavy criticism in its
earlier version, the Arjun Mark I MBT, The Times of India cited on Monday India's Defense Research and
Development Organization (DRDO) spokesperson Ravi Gupta as saying.
The major upgrades include missile-firing capability against long-range targets, panoramic sight with night vision
to engage targets effectively at night, containerisation of the ammunition, enhanced main weapon penetration;
additional ammunition types, an advanced air-defence gun to engage helicopters; a mine plough, an advanced land
navigation system and a warning system which can fire smoke grenades to confuse laser guidance
The new version, if approved, will supplement 124 Arjun Mark I MBTs already in service. The Indian Defense
Ministry has ordered a total of 124 modernized Arjun MBTs to be built at the DRDO's heavy vehicles factory in
Avadi, near Chennay.
Arjun is a third generation main battle tank developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO), for the Indian Army.The Arjun features a 120 mm main rifled gun with indigenously developed APFSDS
ammunition, one 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine gun. It is powered by a single MTU
multi-fuel diesel engine rated at 1,400 hp, and can achieve a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and a
cross-country speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).All-round anti-tank warhead protection by the newly developed Kanchan
armour is claimed to be much higher than available in comparable third generation tanks.
01:45 26/06/2012 NEW DELHI, June 26 (RIA Novosti)
India has started testing a deeply modernized version of its domestically-developed Arjun main battle tank.
The trials of the Arjun Mark II main battle tank (MBT) began at the Pokhran field firing range in northwestern
India on June 22 and will continue until the end of July.
The testing focuses on 19 major modifications to improve the features that came under heavy criticism in its
earlier version, the Arjun Mark I MBT, The Times of India cited on Monday India's Defense Research and
Development Organization (DRDO) spokesperson Ravi Gupta as saying.
The major upgrades include missile-firing capability against long-range targets, panoramic sight with night vision
to engage targets effectively at night, containerisation of the ammunition, enhanced main weapon penetration;
additional ammunition types, an advanced air-defence gun to engage helicopters; a mine plough, an advanced land
navigation system and a warning system which can fire smoke grenades to confuse laser guidance
The new version, if approved, will supplement 124 Arjun Mark I MBTs already in service. The Indian Defense
Ministry has ordered a total of 124 modernized Arjun MBTs to be built at the DRDO's heavy vehicles factory in
Avadi, near Chennay.
Arjun is a third generation main battle tank developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO), for the Indian Army.The Arjun features a 120 mm main rifled gun with indigenously developed APFSDS
ammunition, one 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine gun. It is powered by a single MTU
multi-fuel diesel engine rated at 1,400 hp, and can achieve a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and a
cross-country speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).All-round anti-tank warhead protection by the newly developed Kanchan
armour is claimed to be much higher than available in comparable third generation tanks.
