Army scuttles Arjun trials to push through T-90 purchase

[sayareakd]

what will happen to light tanks if T90 is put on mountians??
if i am not mistaken we were buyinh 200 light tanks with wheels and regular tracks.
Looks like Russians have smartly eaten to Polish light tank market.
I dont think Arjun needs to worry if T90 is eating into light tanks, but what will army do for wheel tanks???
Put T90MS to wheels?

 

[Decklander]

The way people have been fooled in India is not even funny. Most of our mountain roads thru which T-90 might get transported on Tatra trucks are not designed to withstand load of a truck of more than 40 tons. So how will you transport T-90? Only by air.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

There is famous argument in MOD that Arjun heavy tank cannot be operated in given infrastructure of Rajasthan and Punjab as the roads & Bridges cannot take more than 50ton, In reality they cannot take 30ton, Even highways cracks when a T-72 moves..

 

[Damian]

This is interesting. And is a bit opposite to what is in europe. For example in Poland there is similiar argument that most bridges can't hold Leopard 2A4's (55 metric tons of weight), while in reality when I talked with guys working in the whole bridge deal, most bridges in my country can hold vehicles heavier than 60-65 metric tons.

 

[Decklander]

This is interesting. And is a bit opposite to what is in europe. For example in Poland there is similiar argument that most bridges can't hold Leopard 2A4's (55 metric tons of weight), while in reality when I talked with guys working in the whole bridge deal, most bridges in my country can hold vehicles heavier than 60-65 metric tons.

Most city roads and flyovers are designed for a load of 70tons. But there are areas in mountains where the roads are less capable. In plains/city you can skirt around a bridge but it is not so in mountains. But both Arjun & T-90 can be airlifted to battle locations. However the need for a light tank is there. DRDO had suggested a modification of T-72 chasis with T-90 engine and Arjun turret. This tank was supposed to weigh just about 47 tons. this wud have been ideal for mountain strike corps. But IA rejected this tank in 2008 as they thought that Arjun will never be made.
BHARAT RAKSHAK MONITOR - Volume 4(5)

 

[Damian]

With 47 tons Tank EX would weight 1 metric ton more than T-90S weighting 46 metric tons and one metric ton more than T-90MS weighting 48 metric tons.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

It was rejected by IA coz originally it was planned that Arjun modified turret will be used on existing T-72M1 chassis, this was about T-72M1 mordanisation plan, But in mid program, Russian did not allowed modifying existing chassis instead one had to import new one, IA saw this as not a mordanisation but entirely a new tank hence rejected..

DRDO worked on a light tank based on BMP with 105mm cannon but it was rejected too as IA wanted 120mm cannon and a better platform..

However the need for a light tank is there. DRDO had suggested a modification of T-72 chasis with T-90 engine and Arjun turret. This tank was supposed to weigh just about 47 tons. this wud have been ideal for mountain strike corps. But IA rejected this tank in 2008 as they thought that Arjun will never be made.
BHARAT RAKSHAK MONITOR - Volume 4(5)