Image Source: The Print
As per defence reports, the Indian Army has sought two regiments of the new indigenous Arjun 1A tank. The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed them and it incorporates 71 improvements from the original version.
The Arjun features a 120 mm main rifled gun with indigenously developed armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot ammunition, one PKT 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and an NSVT 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 67 km/h (42 mph) and a cross-country speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).
It has a four-man crew: A commander, gunner, loader and driver.
The Defence Acquisition Council and the Cabinet Committee on Security will have to clear it. The deal is worth Rs 8,956 crore, not just for the tanks but also, spares and servicing.
This move works towards promoting the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Indian Army already has two regiments with 242 Arjun mk1 Tanks in their service.
Further adding to the Make in India cause, according to Defence View, five indigenous anti-tank weapons are in the final stages of development, top government sources said. They include the Nag anti-tank guided missile, its standalone version called SANT, the HELINA, or the one delivered from helicopters. There will also be an MPATGM or the man-portable version as well which can use Arjun’s gun barrel.
