Meet ‘Ex’, DRDO’s faster, lighter tank

[Awaisi]

http://www.indian-express.com/ie20020221/top4.html

» Combines best of Army’s Arjun and T-72

GAURAV C. SAWANT

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 20: After six months of secret trials, India has developed a new tank for the army, integrating features of the Russian T-72 and the indigenous main battle tank Arjun. Code named ‘Tank Ex,’ it is believed to have the advantages of low weight, small size and high speed.

Tank Ex, the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) latest entry in the land and naval systems exhibition currently on in New Delhi, may be the answer to the army’s long-standing demand for a low-silhouette tank with better fire-power. The Arjun, say experts, had problems with its silhouette (the degree to which it can be spotted through sand dunes).

The tank has already undergone six months of preliminary trials in the Rajasthan sector and will be put through a series of trials this coming summer. However, since the tank is the result of the DRDO’s independent initiative and not based on qualitative requirements specified by the army, it will have to prove itself to meet the army’s operational requirement.

A senior DRDO officer said the tank’s low weight (47 tonnes as compared to Arjun’s 58.5) and high speed (60 kmph on the road) has given it the edge the army’s looking for.

‘‘We wanted the army to have the best of two systems, T-72’s low chassis and the Arjun’s firepower. Both are proven systems and together they form a lethal combination. We have tried to maximise the capabilities of the two tanks into a single weapon system,’’ DRDO officials added.

Arjun went through a series of teething problems and at one stage a disheartened army wanted to abandon the project. With the warhorse T-72 ageing and Pakistan acquiring T-80 UDs from Ukraine, there was a sense of unease in the mechanised forces. This led to the army procuring the latest T-90 tanks from Russia. The first lot of 40 T-90s have already arrived and are undergoing pre-induction trials in heavy vehicles factory Avadi at Tamil Nadu. The army is to induct a total of 310 T-90 tanks.

With T-90s assuming the role of MBT and Tank-Ex trying to make it to the forefront, there is apprehension that the indigenous MBT Arjun project could be relegated to the back burner.

However, DRDO officials do not agree. ‘‘The Arjuns have their own role and the T-90s have a different role. Tank Ex will basically be an upgrade of the T-72s. This will complement the existing numbers,’’ an official said.

With a crew of four, Tank Ex has a 120 mm rifled main gun and a 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun. It has a director-type fire control system and also a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. It comes with an electro-hydraulic gun control system and a digital ballistic computer. According to DRDO officials, the tank compares well with international standards.

Explaining the secrecy surrounding Tank Ex and the lack of pre-launch hype, DRDO officials claim they wanted the tests to be successful before launching the product in the market and also wanted the product to speak for itself.

[SyedA]

I believe its called "ABHAY", its a light IFV. A 20 ton vehicle with 3+7 crew, a 40mm cannon/gun, 40 mm grenade launcher and a twin ATGM

[SyedA]

Sorry forgot the pic.

[SyedA]

according to some people on tanknet, this tank has a 120mm rifled gun same as Arjun and the FCS. Its is a light tank about 45 tons. crew of 4.

[azfar]

That aint no tank bros. That is a light armoured vehicle with a very light gun. That gun is less than 88 mm.

What worries me is that the Indians will now be
buying US stuff, as long as they continue to build
their own stuf we're fine..

Farrukh

Originally posted by SyedA
according to some people on tanknet, this tank has a 120mm rifled gun same as Arjun and the FCS. Its is a light tank about 45 tons. crew of 4.

[Maruf29]

Its is a light tank about 45 tons

This is no light tank. 45 tons make it a medium to heavy tank. I hope the test crews are alive! You know......the MIG-21 experience.....

Maruf

[SyedA]

correction, its 47 tons. but this was an independent DRDO project and not a request from IA so whether it will be inducted or not, its yet to be seen.

What we need to discuss is what is the future of light tank in any future indo-Pak battle. I think we can consider Al-Khalid a ligter tank given the weight category of the above mentioned tank. But ex-tank is supposed to be light on armor and have a crew of 4 which I dont understand why would they have 4 people which also shows that it doesn't have an auto-loader?

[nasim]

‘‘We wanted the army to have the best of two systems, T-72’s low chassis and the Arjun’s firepower. Both are proven systems and together they form a lethal combination. We have tried to maximise the capabilities of the two tanks into a single weapon system,’’ DRDO officials added.

When was Arjuns firepower ever a proven system. By the look of the model, they dont even use the arjun gun. The chasis is the T-72 but they have been producing those for quite some time. All this looks like is a new turret. I dont see what the big deal is. It seems to me that this might be a response to the performance capabilities of the al-khalid. A lot was made of our tanks mobility, acceleration and firepower. They seem to be trying to replicate similar features. I find it hard to believe they have been working on this for years and years. DRDO has never kept anything secret.

What is surprising to me is the fact that DRDO has been working on this project while nothing new about the south african artillery gun on a arjun chasis has come out.

I am wondering what the use of all these ideas are. None of them seem to come to the day of light. The picture shows a model. Is DRDO claiming to have this tank near completion or is this another vision of their esteemed scientists.

[Amitabh]

Syed, the Abhay ICV and the reported new tank are entirely different projects.

[SyedA]

amitabh

Actually i was speculating that these might be the same machines but I realized after more details came in the news. By, the way any pictures available?

[J33Nelson]

"Tank Ex has a 120 mm rifled main gun"


The only tanks that I know that uses a 120mm rifled cannon is the British Challenger and Challenger II tanks. All the other western tanks (Abrams, Leopard II, LeClerc, & Ariete) use a 120mm smoothe-bore cannon. I wonder if the U.K. sold the L30 Rifled cannon (challenger II cannon) or technology to India?? If the British did sell this technology to India then this cannon is very lethal and has been proven. If this cannon was made from scratch by India then who knows how good it is... Does anyone have any info if the British sold India the L30 or L30 technology???


J33Nelson

[KumarM]

J33Nelson,

The 120mm rifled gun is one from Arjun Mk. 1

[KumarM]

Syed had sometime back speculated that through its efforts and failures in devlopment of MBT, DRDO is likely to quickly put together pieces from various projects (Arjun development, T-XX modernizations, etc.) to overcome the shortfalls and prevent the same in newer projects.

It seems Syed's speculations were right on mark.

[J33Nelson]

"The 120mm rifled gun is one from Arjun Mk. 1"

Yes I know.. My question was were did this gun come from?? Did India build it from scratch or did they acquire the L-30 cannon or the L-30 technology from the U.K.???

J33Nelson

[SyedA]

Pak defence envoys drop in at arms fest

GAURAV C. SAWANT

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 22: Indian and Pakistani troops are still famously eyeball-to-eyeball along the border but in New Delhi, some of their brother officers mingled, amid a sea of wry smiles, in the most unlikely of settings: the DRDO’s land and naval systems exhibition.

Dropping by at the exhibition were Pakistan’s defence attaches Brigadier Javeed (army) and Captain Ghaznafar (navy), who’d come to see the latest developments in the field of army and naval systems made by India’s defence research establishment and by arms manufacturers worldwide.




With a plethora of Indian army and naval officials from the weapons and equipment directorate, artillery, infantry, perspective planning, ordnance and signals on hand, the presence of two Pakistani armed forces personnel raised some good-humoured eyebrows.

Some of the manufacturers — including the French — are supplying weapons systems to both India and Pakistan. Islamabad has acquired Agosta-class submarines from France and New Delhi is close to concluding a deal on the Scorpene conventional submarines.

This reporter caught up with the attaches at the American stalls. India is likely to acquire from the US the AN-TPQ-37 fire finder radars (weapon-locating radars), which Pakistan had bought in the mid-1980s.

Though both officers refused to comment on what caught their fancy, Capt Ghaznafar was seen displaying keen interest in the triple-tube launched torpedoes which, he was told, was being installed on INS Ganga, Godavari and Gomti.

The DRDO officials also explained the development and trials of moored mines (which can be buried in sand and left in shallow waters) and the wire- guided torpedo developed by NSTL at Vishakhapatnam.
The two also inspected Tank Ex, the latest from the DRDO stable that integrates the Arjun tank turret and T-72 chassis.

Then, with polite smiles and thank-yous, they moved on.

[zia ul haq]

Asalaamo-a-laikum.

Nelson,

All the the indications I have from the material avilable is that the Indian 120mm is a locally designed and manufactured piece rather than the British L30.

The L30 is an impressive weapon and possible induction on IA tanks would cause head aches all round in the PA. Thankfully this does not seem to be the case though.

[SyedA]

All I know is the 120 mm gun is of ESR steel but no where it is mentioned that its the L2 gun. Most likely its indian origin.

[Gul Khan]

I thought it was a South African gun, Did not some one post the picture with both Arjun and some SA vehicle highlighting the gun. It was 100 percent identical.

[J33Nelson]

South Africa only use/produce the LIW’s GT8 105 mm or LIW 120 mm smoothbore gun. The only country that use/produces a 120mm rifled gun is the U.K.. That is why I asked if this new Indian gun is a copy of the L-30 or if India acquired L-30 technology. It seems that everyone here believes India made their 120mm rifled gun from scratch and the U.K was not involved at all.

J33Nelson

[KumarM]

J33Nelson,

it would seem to be the case (india has engaged in development of the gun from scratch)

the SA gun you are talking about is I think the T-6. There's some thing going on there with development of Arjun Mk. II

[Gul Khan]

Originally posted by J33Nelson
South Africa only use/produce the LIW’s GT8 105 mm or LIW 120 mm smoothbore gun. The only country that use/produces a 120mm rifled gun is the U.K.. That is why I asked if this new Indian gun is a copy of the L-30 or if India acquired L-30 technology. It seems that everyone here believes India made their 120mm rifled gun from scratch and the U.K was not involved at all.

J33Nelson

A picture is worth a thousand words. I saw the picture of SA gun and one on Arjun and it was 100 percent identical.

[SyedA]

guys

you are confusing between south african 155mm howitzer which is known as G-6 or T-6 installed on Indian SPA known as Bhim.

[Amitabh]

Syed, I haven't seen any photos of this tank yet.

[SyedA]

Amitabh and rajkumar

What is the possibility of IA actually approving induction of this tank? Keep in mind that it has to go through the same bureaucratic process of acquisition. Plus the budget allocation within alloted amount to the army.

[KumarM]

Syed,

I think DRDO is going to make a case in favor of adopting Tank-Ex as the upgraded version of T-72 rather than the current upgrade program of the T-72. I don't think they are aiming to build a "new" tank, but trying to get a piece of the T-72 upgrade "pie".