Army eyes ₹57,000cr project to make combat vehicles to replace T-72 tanks

Army eyes ₹57,000cr project to make combat vehicles to replace T-72 tanks

NEW DELHI: Dismissing reports about tank’s death as “greatly exaggerated”, 12-lakh strong Indian Army is going in for a major upgrade of its existing tanks, as well as gearing up to induct new-generation ones for battles of the future.

Senior officers contend the wide-scale destruction of Russian tanks by drones, man-portable anti-tank missiles, NLAWs (next-generation light anti-tank weapons) and artillery in the ongoing war with Ukraine, especially in the initial days, was more due to “poor tactics” rather than anything else.

For one, Russia deployed tanks without adequate logistics chains. For another, tanks were not adequately backed by infantry, artillery, electronic warfare and close-air support units.

“The critical ‘combined-arms operations’ were missing. Tanks remain relevant for both offensive and defensive operations. There is no other platform that provides requisite mobility, firepower and armoured protection in large-scale ground battles,” a senior officer said.

“Our future tank projects are being planned with enhanced survivability, especially against aerial threats, as well as connectivity. Requisite anti-drone safeguards will ensure both individual tank protection as well as area protection for force survivability,” he added.

Consequently, Army plans to issue the RFP (request for proposal) this year for the estimated Rs 57,000 crore mega project to produce 1,770 future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) in India to replace the old Russian-origin T-72 tanks from 2030 onwards.

“The FRCVs will have niche technologies to include AI (artificial intelligence), drone integration, active protection system, high degree of situational awareness and manned-unmanned teaming capability. It will be able to synergise and integrate with all elements of land and air in a network-centric environment,” another officer said.

Along with a fleet of 2,400 T-72 tanks, Army has so far inducted 1,200 T-90S ‘Bhishma’ tanks of the 1,657 being produced by the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi under licence from Russia.

The force will also this year induct the first five of the 118 indigenous Arjun Mark-1A tanks, with 14 major and 57 minor “upgrades” to enhance firepower, mobility, endurance and protection, ordered for Rs 7,523 crore in Sept 2021. These 118 “improved” tanks will add to the first 124 Arjun tanks inducted well over a decade ago.

Then, there are the 354 indigenous light tanks for high-altitude warfare to be inducted under Project Zorawar for around Rs 17,500 crore. The need for such tanks, each weighing less than 25 tonnes with a high power-to-weight ratio as well as superior firepower and protection, has been driven home by the continuing almost four-year-long military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh.

While 59 of these light tanks are reserved for DRDO, the rest 295 are to be manufactured under the government-funded design and development ‘Make-1’ category, as was first reported by TOI.

“After DRDO completes its internal trials of the light tank prototypes, they will be offered to the Army for summer and winter trials, which will take a couple of years,” an official said.

Several upgrade plans are also under way. The Army, for instance, has now got its pending proposal for inducting 1000-horsepower engines for its T-72 fleet, to replace the existing 780 hp ones, approved by the defence ministry. Under this Rs 2,300 crore plan, 200 engines will be directly imported, while 800 will be made in India.

“T-72s are also getting thermal sights, fire detection and suppression, and other systems. The T-90S tanks, in turn, are getting automatic target trackers, digital ballistic computers and commander thermal imagers,” the officer said.

“The FRCVs will be inducted in three phases, with 590 in the first one. Each phase will see induction of newer technologies to ensure the highest level of survivability, lethality and agility. Tanks, by no means, are dead,” he added.

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