Indian Army to conduct trials of modified Arjun tanks

The Indian Army will be conducting field trials of 14 Main Battle Tanks (MBT) Arjun by September 30, after the successful demonstration of all the modifications including medium fording carried out on the tank.

New Delhi, July 2 : The Indian Army will be conducting field trials of 14 Main Battle Tanks (MBT) Arjun by September 30, after the successful demonstration of all the modifications including medium fording carried out on the tank.

Defence Minister AK Antony today visited Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) and the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi.

Happy with the results of the modifications, Antony congratulated all the stakeholders for jointly solving the problems relating to the tank to the satisfaction of the armed forces.

Recently field trials were conducted on Arjun tanks, which have been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). But there were few 'minor' problems that needed rectifications.

The DRDO's project to develop the indigenous Arjun tank, which was to be completed by 1984, but it took another 16 years to get completed with periodic up gradation.

Weighing at 58.5 tons, the tank has been criticised about its failure to function at high temperatures, since "it gets overheated".

The Army was asked by the Government to purchase 124 Arjun tanks in 2004, which will be delivered to the former by 2008. At present, the Army has received close to 30 Arjun tanks from Chennai factory where the productions of the tanks are going on a mass scale.

Earlier, the Army was not satisfied with it and its problem in fire control system (FCS) and gunner's main sight were also mentioned in the Parliamentary Committee report on Defence.

ANI