Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT)

[Kunal Biswas]

1. Not necessarily, the APU can be used for that purpose, Operational tank are kept in garage after use no one use anything except maintenance ..

2. It is, all member are constantly moving inside the tank, bunch of wires and tubes only makes things harder, One should be inside one to know what told here..

To run the AC they should run the engine even on idle which would consume a lot of fuel, So it will end up being more bad than good, most of the tanks service it will be parked some where in the desert and no one can afford to run the engine during that time, unless your the yanks invading an oil rich nation, i guess that is why they have gone in for cooling suits which can run on battery.

Mobility inside a tank is not a big deal except for the loader may be but one can get used to working in a suit, it is better to have them in the long run to avoid crew fatigue than not to.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

1. Not necessarily, the APU can be used for that purpose, Operational tank are kept in garage after use no one use anything except maintenance ..

2. It is, all member are constantly moving inside the tank, bunch of wires and tubes only makes things harder, One should be inside one to know what told here..

Auxiliary power unit is just a big battery with another smaller engine and it does not run it for hours on end and takes up more resources.

Tanks spend a very long time parked in the desert during combat or exercise where the temperature can climb up to 50 degs inside a tank.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

It does, If you see the duration of tanks such as M1A2 with APU in silent mode in both 1990 and recent you wouldn't say so..

Why it have to be under sun ? in desert tanks are kept in camo mesh tent specially design for tanks and APC/IFV in other place just under a tree..

Auxiliary power unit is just a big battery with another smaller engine and it does not run it for hours on end and takes up more resources.

Tanks spend a very long time parked in the desert during combat or exercise where the temperature can climb up to 50 degs inside a tank.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

It does, If you see the duration of tanks such as M1A2 with APU in silent mode in both 1990 and recent you wouldn't say so..

Why it have to be under sun ? in desert tanks are kept in camo mesh tent specially design for tanks and APC/IFV in other place just under a tree..

It still works out cheaper than a APU, running an APU dispenses thermal signature in the exhaust as well.

Trees are very scanty in a desert terrain as well and so not much foliage for cover. Tanks do hide behind camo but in war situations or during exercise a tank wont be hideing for long, there was a complaint before General Vijay removed the AC units from the tanks for some reason that it was not Macho enough to sit in AC. Temperatures got up to 50degs and it became a problem later.

 

[sayareakd]

@GK tanks can be used for offence and defence, in defence mode they have to wait and observe silently for hours and hours for that purpose they cannot use the engine. That is why APU, therefore having APU is plus point for tank.

Good tank should have all the option for its commander to operate it and get better of enemy.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

@GK tanks can be used for offence and defence, in defence mode they have to wait and observe silently for hours and hours for that purpose they cannot use the engine. That is why APU, therefore having APU is plus point for tank.

Good tank should have all the option for its commander to operate it and get better of enemy.

APU reduces stealth. It shows up in thermal and also sound can be isolated.

 

[sayareakd]

APU reduces stealth. It shows up in thermal and also sound can be isolated.

if you use regular engine instead of APU, it kill engine life, it also shows up in thermal, sound too.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Tank disperse huge thermal signature even without engine running during night..

There are no AC was ever installed even today in any IA tank except Command BMPs, Your view contradicts mine living with an Armored units..

APU reduces stealth. It shows up in thermal and also sound can be isolated.

It still works out cheaper than a APU, running an APU dispenses thermal signature in the exhaust as well.

Trees are very scanty in a desert terrain as well and so not much foliage for cover. Tanks do hide behind camo but in war situations or during exercise a tank wont be hideing for long, there was a complaint before General Vijay removed the AC units from the tanks for some reason that it was not Macho enough to sit in AC. Temperatures got up to 50degs and it became a problem later.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

Tank disperse huge thermal signature even without engine running during night..

There are no AC was ever installed even today in any IA tank except Command BMPs, Your view contradicts mine living with an Armored units..

I read this some time back during General V.P.Maliks tenure they removed the AC units in tanks. I remember reading this quite some time back in BR may be in 1999?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Probably its not about implementing but projecting if 1999, In those days AC units were huge and power consuming..

Since Mid 90s only two variants of BMP-2 have AC.

1. Command & Control BMP..

2. BMP Ambulance..

 

[Abhi9]

COMBAT VEHICLES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ESTABILISHMENT
DEFENCE R&D ORGANISATION
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
AVADI, CHENNAI – 600 054
INVITATION FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Introduction
CVRDE has charted out a program to develop 1500 hp diesel engine for the Futuristic Main
Battle Tank (FMBT) program under the aegis of 'National Mission' and formulated the broad
specification and boundary conditions. Considering the complexities and challenges involved in the
development of 1500 hp engine, a feasibility study was already carried out by international consultant and
formulated system specification and configured all engine subsystems for FMBT. The study indicates
that such an engine can be produced within India through Indian production agencies. The broad
technical parameters of the engine is attached at Annexure 'A'
Based on the study, CVRDE is in the process of initiating the design and development program
with an international consultant and with suitable production partners. It is proposed to manufacture this
engine through two production agencies. In view of this, CVRDE is on the lookout to identify suitable
production partners from Indian industries. The production agencies are expected to involve right from
the beginning of the development program.
The production agencies are expected to procure / manufacture engine parts, test
subsystems, assemble the engine, test the engine and deliver the engine. The rate of production
is expected to be around 150 engines per annum. Approximately 1240 engines are required for
vehicle installation and it is also envisaged that an equal number of engines may be required later
towards life time support for about 45 years. Therefore the production agencies need to provide
sustained product and service support during the life time of the equipment.



Specification of 1500 hp Engine
Engine Type : 4-stroke, V type, Turbocharged,
Intercooled, DI, liquid cooled Diesel Engine
Swept Volume : ≈ 26 dm3
Rated Power : 1500 hp (1100 kW) with potential for upgrade to
1800 hp
Rated speed : ≈ 2700 rpm
Torque backup (minimum) : 18% (at 60% - 65% of rated engine
Speed)
SFC at peak torque speed : 210 g/kW.hr (max)
Approximate engine packaging dimensions
Engine Length : 1550 mm
Engine Height : 1100 mm
Engine Width : 1170 mm
Fuel : Diesel 'DHPP- A'
Oil Sump : Dry sump
Permissible inclination of Engine : 350 in any direction
Max dry weight of engine : ≈ 2100 kg
Fuel Injection system : Common Rail
Inline pump / Unit pump as fall back option
Air filtration system : Conventional / self cleaning system
Cylinder block : Cast Iron block, 1350 mm (Apprx) long, separate
bearing cap, wet liners
Crank shaft : Forged / fully machined from solid, 1450 mm
(Apprx) long
Cylinder head : Cast Iron, Individual head / Slab head, 4 valve /
cylinder
Timing drive : Gear drive
Peripherals mounted on the engine : Starter, generator, coolant tank, oil tank, engine oil
cooler, air filtration system etc..
Engine life : 8000 kms / 1200 Hrs
Other points : Design to cater for family of engines


DRDO

 

[Damian]

APU useability is actually interesting problem. Especially Americans were testing different concepts to solve this problem.

First solution are two different types of APU, one was Diesel APU and second Gas Turbine APU, I don't know what type is used right now, US Army besides this was testing two types of external APU's and at least two under armor APU's. This is used on M1A1's in form of external APU's, and some M1A2SEP v1's had under armor APU's. However most M1A2SEP (v1 and v2) had something called Hawker battery pack, it was additional big pack of batteries placed in place of under armor APU in left rear sponson.

However once again there is demand from US Army for stronger APU.

I suppose that Hawker battery pack was good enough idea, but it have it's power storage limitations, and can't provide enough power for electronics in tank for required period of time during operations, so in the end APU is needed.

As for thermal signature, we should remember that APU is smaller than main engine, thus it will have smaller thermal signature compared to main engine. And there are more options, we can integrate APU with main engine and connect APU exhaust with main engine exhaust, of course if engine is compact enough. Someone would say, so what, well there is another solution, whole tank can be covered with multispectral camouflage paint that makes tank very difficult to be spotted by thermal sight, and less hot exhaust gases of APU traveling through main engine exhaust vent, will probably travel longer distance and will cool down. There are of course other methods to reduce vehicle thermal signature, like similiar to multispectral camouflage paints, multispectral camouflage coat like Saab Barracuda MCS.

Or we can combine all these solutions.

We should wait for the ECP1 upgrade for M1 Abrams more detailed description in 2013-2014 period, because Americans might present very interesting design solutions and concepts for vehicle internal components design, that reduce their size, weight and power comsumption, improves power distribution etc. It might be a very good example, for similiar upgrades for heavier and bigger tanks with classical design (manned turret), so their internal volume could be used better, weight distribution might be more rational, and would open new upgrade capabilities.

 

[ersakthivel]

Army set to place order for 248 more Arjun main battle tanks - Economic Times

SO if this report is true means 248 more arjun mk-IIs are going to join the already ordered 248 arjun mk-1 and mk-2s

[

 

[navkapu]

I think its old news? Is there any update?

Army set to place order for 248 more Arjun main battle tanks - Economic Times

SO if this report is true means 248 more arjun mk-IIs are going to join the already ordered 248 arjun mk-1 and mk-2s

[

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Only 118 MK2 are ordered by Army..

 

[navkapu]

Some news Nanotech to strengthen arms- Chennai- IBNLive

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Will Highlight some points :

Defence is planning to use nano technology to improve its arms, particularly in Arjun Tanks, said Dr B S Murty, a scientist and Head, Nanotechnology Laboratory at IIT- Madras

Speaking to Express, he said, "We are planning to use nano technology in the Army to improve the efficiency of arms. Take Arjun Tanks for example, whenever the Shell is released from the barrel, there will be erosion inside the barrel and hence the thrust becomes less. Around 250 firings can be done now, with the erosion.If we use nano coating inside the barrel, we can increase the firing level upto 500.

I think this is about new rounds, earlier Arjun can fire 500rnds..

Some news Nanotech to strengthen arms- Chennai- IBNLive

 

[JBH22]

Nobody want the Arjun tank came too late with too many deficiencies.

I believe DRDO wasted money funding should have stopped the day IA chose the T-90 tank.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

@JBH, Go through the thread see those interviews of Generals posted here only, And there are no deficiencies in performance rather better than others..

Besides, Arjun / LCA / Akash and other development is very important for the nation..

Nobody want the Arjun tank came too late with too many deficiencies.

I believe DRDO wasted money funding should have stopped the day IA chose the T-90 tank.

 

[sayareakd]

Nobody want the Arjun tank came too late with too many deficiencies.

I believe DRDO wasted money funding should have stopped the day IA chose the T-90 tank.

sir you will very soon importing Generals and soldiers.