Arjun (tank)

Arjun during a test drive

1 x 12.7 -mm machine gun ( tower top )

Arjun denotes a Indian modern battle tanks. It is named after Arjuna, one of the most heroic figures in the Indian epic Mahabharata.

History

After the Bangladesh war with Pakistan noted the Indian military that the imported tank models had shown for the desert areas of the border regions to its neighbor as unfavorable. Thereupon the indigenous development of a battle tank, which should be especially tailored to this difficult terrain, commissioned. The first prototype was completed in 1985. However, the tests of the pattern did not run satisfactorily, so that further eleven years has been working on it. Then the Arjun was officially presented to the public in 1996. This model also proved to be erroneous. In particular fault of the fire were criticized. Only in 2000 the Indian army has ordered 124 pieces of the tank model. The delivery to the troops has been delayed again. Only in 2007 the first 14 vehicles were delivered. Due to the problems in the development of the future of Arjun seems uncertain. The small targeted number of 124 tanks would make the in-house development only to a marginal phenomenon in the Indian Armoured Corps. In response to Pakistani arms purchases have been acquired since 2000 a total of 330 Russian T -90. A Arjun will cost about 5.6 million U.S. dollars.

Technology

The Arjun has a solid 120 - mm gun produced in India and a 7.62 -mm machine gun, which is installed coaxially to the cannon in the tower. To combat helicopter is a 12.7 - mm machine gun outside the tower are available. Special air missile for the cannon are still in development. The computerized fire control system is supported by laser rangefinder and an infrared vision device. The tank is powered by a 1400 hp diesel engine. The model is managed by a Kompositpanzerung. The survival probability of occupation is to be increased by a system against fires and explosions. Here, a unentzündliches gas is passed into the fuel tank or the engine room automatically.