Orders Placed For Arjun Mk1A MBT’s Vectronics Suite
Elbit Systems Electro-optics Elop Ltd (ELOP) on March 20 was awarded an approximately US$80 million contract for supplying major elements of the vectronics suite for the 118 Arjun Mk1A main battle tanks (MBT) that were ordered for the Indian Army last January.
ELOP will complete all deliveries by 2015. Each vectronics suite will include ELOP-supplied Advanced laser warning & countermeasures system (ALWACS) and the commander’s open-architecture panoramic sight (COAPS). The ALWACS will include four E-LWS sensors that can detect, categorise and pinpoint laser sources, including rangefinders, designators, beam-riders, and infra-red illuminators. E-LWS also enables direction indication for all threats, as well as audio and visual warnings. It is immune to reflection, gunfire, lightning, fire and self-electro-optical operations. The other two components of ALWACS are an IR jammer, and two 8-launcher aerosol smoke screening systems.
The COAPS is a dual axis stabilised line-of-sight, remote-operated, periscopic system for independent target acquisition, battlefield surveillance and main gun firing in a ‘hunter-killer’ auto-track mode. The COAPS will use a SAGEM-built Matis-STD thermal imager (to be supplied to ELOP as customer-furnished equipment) that operates in the 3-5 micron bandwidth, while the gunner’s sight will employ a THALES-built Catherine-FC thermal imager (to be supplied to ELOP as customer-furnished equipment), operating in the 8-12 micron bandwidth. The COAPS will also house an integrated Laser Target Tracker (LTT) for providing fire-control solutions for the CLGM laser-guided anti-helicopter missile.
All in all, the Arjun Mk1A MBT, having a per-unit cost of Rs34 crores, will feature 93 improvements, including 19 major modifications, which will be introduced in two phases. In Phase-1, 45 Arjun Mk1As will roll out with 56 upgrades, including the ALWAC S, COAPS, and CLGM-firing capability. In Phase-2, the remaining 73 Arjun Mk1As, with all the 93 improvements, will be delivered.
Structurally, the major enhancement on the MBT will be the fitment of High Energy Materials Research Laboratory-developed explosive reactive armour (ERA) plates weighing a total of 1.5-tonnes on the glacis plate, as well as the front of the turret and the sides protecting the driver’s compartment; fitment of a 1.5-tonne track-width mine plough sourced from US-based Pearson Engineering (represented in India by BEML); incorporation of a new 8kW auxiliary power unit (APU) developed by Indesys Equipments Pvt Ltd; redesigned and bigger road wheels built by Sundaram Industries; and Germany-based Diehl Remscheid’s DST 570V tracks, whose basic components include the track links, sprocket wheels, guide wheels, running rollers, support rollers, running pads, traction aids, connectors, bolts, mono block-body with integral centre guide, rubberised track pads, and grouser.
To be mounted on the turret will be a yet-to-be-selected remote controlled weapons system containing a 12.7mm heavy machine gun. Finally,
a mobile camouflage system has been developed and integrated into the Arjun Mk1A in collaboration with Sweden’s Barracuda Camouflage Ltd to reduce the MBT’s signature against all known sensors and smart munitions.
As a result of all these add-ons, the
Arjun Mk1A’s fully loaded weight will be 67 tonnes. To cater to this weight increase, the MBT’s Kirloskar-built hydropneumatic suspension systems has been re-designed to cater for weights of up to 70 tonnes. Track-shedding problems have been resolved by selecting the DST 570V tracks that will have an increased horn length (19mm). The MTU 838 Ka-501 diesel engine and RENK’s RK-304S gearbox (making up the powerpack) has been retained for the Arjun Mk1A. On the Arjun Mk1,
the final drive had catered to a top speed of 72kph. For
the Arjun Mk1A, the final drive has been enhanced by increasing the reduction ratio from 4.4 to 5.3, while the top speed now stands at 58.5kph. In addition, the torque and the force available at the contact between the track and the surface has been increased which to cater for the MBT’s increased weight. However, despite the increased weight, the Arjun Mk1A’s acceleration is better than the Arjun Mk1, while fuel efficiency and the power-to-weight ratio of 23.9hp/tonne remain the same. The DST 570V’s increased track-width will ensure that the ground pressure (0.84kgf/cm2) remains the same in spite of the MBT’s increased weight.
What is significantly
missing on the Arjun Mk1A, however, is a slat-armour package to protect the Arjun Mk1A’s rear section against rocket-propelled (RPG) attacks. By acting as a rigid barrier, slat-armour, made of aluminium alloy, causes the RPG’s shaped-charge warhead (which uses a shaped-explosion rather than kinetic energy) to explode at a relatively safe distance.
The first Arjun Mk1A will roll off the MoD-owned and Avadi-based Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in July 2015, and enter service in early 2016. HVF will annually produce 30 Arjun Mk1As, meaning the last such MBT will be delivered by 2019.
Being negotiated now is the production of 40 BLT Arjun armoured recovery vehicles, along with other specialised combat engineering vehicles like 20 CMF-Arjuns and 20 full-width mine-ploughs mounted on the hull of an Arjun (this being a turret vehicle). The counter-mine flail (CMF), under development since 2005, has been designed to clear safe 4.5-metre wide lane for the passage of armoured vehicles and personnel by detonating anti-tank/anti-personnel mines buried up to a depth of at least 30cm with the help of hydraulically-operated hammers. Equipped with GPS and periscope, the CMF-Arjun will also have a marking system, which, with the help of LED poles, will mark safe lanes in the battle zone after having disabled the mines laid by the enemy.
Ideally, the turretless CMF-Arjun will also house a 7.62mm PKT machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft gun and smoke grenade dispenser.
Also being evaluated now is a proposal for
upgrading up to 400 BMP-2K infantry combat vehicles (ICV) by equipping them with a new-design turret housing up to four anti-armour guided-missiles (like the CLGM), a 30mm cannon, a remote-controlled weapon station housing a 30mm automatic grenade launcher, a COAPS, and a gunner’s day/night sight making use of ELOP’s TISAS system.
http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2013/03/orders-placed-for-arjun-mk1a-mbts.html
so at-least 116 arjun MK2 are confirmed. congratz.
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