Arjun (tank)

Arjun
New Arjun MK1A variant during field trials.
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originIndia
Production history
DesignerCombat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (DRDO)
Designed1983–1996
ManufacturerArmoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (at Heavy Vehicles Factory)
Produced2004–present
No. built141 (as of 2021)[N 1]
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
MassMK1: 58.5 tonnes (57.6 long tons; 64.5 short tons)
MK1A: 68 tonnes (67 long tons; 75 short tons)[3]
LengthMK1: 10.19 metres (33 ft 5 in)
MK1A: 10.64 metres (34 ft 11 in)
WidthMK1: 3.85 metres (12 ft 8 in)
MK1A: 3.95 metres (13 ft 0 in)
HeightMK1: 2.32 metres (7 ft 7 in)
MK1A: ~2.8 metres (9 ft 2 in)
Crew4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver)
ArmourERA–NERA, Kanchan armour
Main
armament
1× 120 mm rifled tank gun able to fire LAHAT, SAMHO,[4] HEAT, APFSDS, HESH, PCB, Thermobaric rounds[5]
(Rate of fire: 6–8 rounds/minute, total: 42 containerized rounds)[6][7]
Secondary
armament
1 × NSV 12.7mm AA MG on BEL RCWS
1 × MAG 7.62 mm Tk715 coaxial MG
12 × 81mm AT-AL smoke grenades. (MK1) 16 × 81mm AT-AL smoke grenades. (MK1A)[8]
EngineMK1: MTU MB 838 Ka-501 V10; 1,400 hp (1,030 kW) liquid-cooled turbocharged diesel engine[9]
MK1A: DATRAN; 1,500 hp (1,118 kW) V12 engine[10][11]
Power/weightMK1: 24 hp/ton[12]
TransmissionRenk epicyclic train gearbox, 4 forward + 2 reverse gears.
CVRDE automatic transmission in development
SuspensionHydropneumatic
Ground clearance0.45 metres (1 ft 6 in)
Fuel capacity1,610 litres (350 imp gal; 430 US gal)
Operational
range
MK1: 450 kilometres (280 mi)[13]
Maximum speed MK1: ~70 km/h (43 mph)
40 km/h (25 mph) cross country[14]

The Arjun (pronounced [ɐɽˈdʑʊn]) is a third generation main battle tank developed by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), for the Indian Army.[15][16] The tank is named after Arjuna, the archer prince who is the main protagonist of the Indian epic poem Mahabharata. Design work began in 1986 and was finished in 1996. The Arjun main battle tank entered service with the Indian Army in 2004.[17] The 43rd Armoured Regiment, formed in 2009, was the first regiment to receive the Arjun.[17][18]

The Arjun features a 120 mm rifled main gun with indigenously developed armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot ammunition, one PKT 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a NSVT 12.7 mm machine gun. Powered by a single MTU multi-fuel diesel engine rated at 1,400 hp, it can achieve a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43 mph) and a cross-country speed of 40 km/h (25 mph).[19] It has a four-man crew: commander, gunner, loader and driver.

In 2010 and 2013, the Indian Army carried out comparative trials in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, pitting the newly inducted Arjun MK1 against the Indian Army's frontline Russian-designed T-90 tanks, during which the Arjun reportedly exhibited better accuracy and mobility.[20][21]

The fire-control system (FCS) originally developed for the Arjun main battle tank has been integrated into the T-90 tanks built in India under a transfer of technology (ToT) agreement by the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi.[22]

  1. ^ Mann, Maj Gen Rambir (14 April 2021). "Why MBT Arjun Tank should be embraced by the army?". Forum For Integrated National Security (FINS) India. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  2. ^ Annual Report 2018-19 (PDF). MoD. p. 103. MBT Arjun Mk-II has been designed and developed incorporating 84 improvements (73 tank fittable) over and above MBT Arjun Mk-I. During the year, two MBT Arjun Mk-1A prototypes were positioned at PFFR
  3. ^ Philip, Snehesh Alex (16 March 2020). "Army set to place order for 118 Arjun Mark 1-As, the most potent tank in its inventory". Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ^ "DRDO successfully test fires laser-guided anti-tank missile". The Times of India. PTI. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  5. ^ "120 mm Penetration Cum Blast (PCB) and Thermobaric (TB) Ammunition For MBT Arjun". DRDO. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Arjun Main Battle Tank specifications". OFB. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  7. ^ Economic Times (14 July 2018). "Fire-power of DRDO's Arjun Tank takes quantum jump with new ammunition: MoD". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Battlefield Protection System" (PDF). Defence Research and Development Organisation. Defence Scientific Information & Documentation Centre. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Land Defense brochure" (PDF). MTU. Rolls-Royce Group. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  10. ^ Pubby, Manu (14 February 2024). "India to develop engine for new Arjun tanks". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Indigenously developed 1500 HP prototype engine for future main battle tanks test fired". The Hindu. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  12. ^ "MBT Arjun Tank". DRDO. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  13. ^ Genys, Andrius. "Arjun". Military-Today. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Technology focus" (PDF), Technology Focus: Bulletin of Defence Research & Development Organisation, 19 (3), DRDO, June 2011, ISSN 0971-4413, archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2011, retrieved 10 June 2011
  15. ^ Press Trust of India (6 March 2013). "A Look at Indian Army's Main Battle Tanks". India TV. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  16. ^ Press Trust of India (30 June 2015). "Chinese military research academy praises India's Arjun tank". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  17. ^ a b Joshi, Saurabh (25 May 2009). "Army gets first Arjun regiment". StratPost – South Asian Defense and Strategic Affairs. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  18. ^ Press Trust of India (12 March 2011). "Arjun Tank inducted into 75 armoured regiment". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference :12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Vikas (29 January 2018). "MBT Arjun is a formidable tank, but can it replace Russian made T-90?". One India. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  21. ^ Shukla, Ajai (25 March 2010). "Arjun tank outruns, outguns Russian T-90". Business Standard India. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  22. ^ Jha, Saurav (8 February 2015). "A look at the Indian Army's Main Battle Tank programs". News18. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.


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