Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT)

[rahulrds1]

Arjun Update,

Thermo-baric ammunition capable of delivering a devastating, simultaneous fragmentation, Thermal and blast effect has been developed for MBT Arjun to further boost its firepower.

A new Modular Bridging System capable of yielding single span of up to 46 metres and capable of bearing load up to 70 ton
was developed and is undergoing user trials.

Two regiments of Main Battle Tank Arjun became proud possession of Indian Army.
Arjun Mark-II, developed in a record time, with about 70 improved features,has entered advanced phase of User Trials.
A number of Battlefield support systems including Armoured Amphibious Dozer, Armoured Engineering Recce Vehicle and Tracked Armoured Ambulance were developed and led to production.

Reference : page-9 aeromag magazine

About Bridge,
DRDO builds new single span modular bridge for Army- 24 jan 2013

Novel bridge to carry tanks, does not need any support

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory in Dighi, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) ((R&DE (E)) have developed a prototype of a single span modular bridge for the Army.
It would allow the Army's Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) weighing over 60 tonne to cross over any obstacle up to 46 metres, irrespective of the soil condition of the obstacle like a river bed, as there is no support system required to hold the bridge.

Such single span bridge for the military has been built only by three other countries - United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany.

"The earlier existing modular bridges would require support system to hold the bridge, which would have to be fixed on a river or a stream bed. Here, the problem is the surface may not be strong enough to hold the weight of passing MBTs weighing over 60 tonnes," Director R&DE (E), Dr S Guruswamy told Sakal Times.
This single span modular bridge technology offers dual benefits. Firstly, it does not require any support system and hence can be laid over any obstacle. Secondly, it gives the flexibility of fixing the bridge over any obstacle having a width varying from 14-46 metres.
"Presently, we are engaged in developing a 46-metre Single Modular Bridging System, which can bridge the gap of an obstacle with a width measuring from 14-46 metres in steps of 6.5 metres.," Dr Guruswamy said.

Thanks to such a system, one need not move with too many Bridge Laying Tanks (BLTs) to install the system. Also, simultaneously two consecutive obstacles of almost same width could be handled, thus saving time on movement of tank column, as speed is very important in wartime.

"It is the longest single span modular bridge made by us. The earlier model had a length of 22 metres. We first tested the endurance of this bridge by simulating the load test. Now we are conducting the trials with bridge prototype using MBT Arjun," Scientist 'G', R&DE (E) Naresh Kumar said.

L&T is the manufacturing company of this Bridge - MLC-70,

http://www.larsentoubro.com/lntcorporate/corp/pdf/PowaiPageant/PP-April-June-2012-web.pdf

 

[Damian]

Thermo-baric ammunition capable of delivering a devastating, simultaneous fragmentation, Thermal and blast effect has been developed for MBT Arjun to further boost its firepower.

Interesting... and in the same time terryfing to ride inside a vehicle with such ammunition.

 

[The Last Stand]

Interesting... and in the same time terryfing to ride inside a vehicle with such ammunition.

I would think Thermobaric ammunition would be more deadly to the occupants than the targets, especially since blast would ignite the oxygen inside the vehicle and blow off panels would probably be unable to hold their own against such a blast.

Thermobaric blasts use little explosive, but ignition and explosion of oxygen is one of the most terrible things that can happen to you

I'd prefer if they use these thermobaric explosives to make Aircraft bombs.

 

[Damian]

Thermobaric ammunition is deadly not matter if it explodes inside vehicle or near the target... scary shit you know.

 

[The Last Stand]

Thermobaric ammunition is deadly not matter if it explodes inside vehicle or near the target... scary shit you know.

Insanely scary. It is sad that we humans, the smartest race, have found such methods to kill our own :why:

 

[Kunal Biswas]

I would worry about those HE/HESH than thermobaric in terms of explosive power..

Whoever told that such explosive could have more explosive power does not have the much idea on explosive..

============

Btw, May be these will replace HESH, We are also expecting HEAT as well as new AP rounds..

I would think Thermobaric ammunition would be more deadly to the occupants than the targets, especially since blast would ignite the oxygen inside the vehicle and blow off panels would probably be unable to hold their own against such a blast.

 

[ersakthivel]

no but the space you've marked off is 40cm leg space for TC which is tiny.

As per the image above the lateral (horizontal ) between the gunner's seat left edge and the gun sledge is hardly 300 mm.

But the same distance between Tc seat left edge and the gun sledge is is at least 600 mm .

So there is no need for 68 cm gap between the Tc's seat and gunner seat which is left horizontally left and vertically down from the Tc'e seat.

 

[ersakthivel]

no but the space you've marked off is 40cm leg space for TC which is tiny.

if you followed this discussion in full you wouldn't be giving such praising words, as you'd see some of the frankly ludicrous assessments that erhsaktivel makes, like gunner having to be behind gun mantlet, insistence on what is obviously storage boxes being addon armour, claiming the arjun mk 1 had blowoff panels when that was clearly impossible, (and which was later confirmed as an upgrade for mk. 2) claiming arjun gun armour is so thick that the breech would reach all the way back into the turret bustle where the ammunition is located, mistaking an arjun for a tank-ex, claiming arjun has 1800mm of front turret armour, and all sorts of other crazyness.
you'd do well not to listen to anything he says.

The image above clearly contradicts your model regarding the position of gunner's seat. You are unwilling to correct this in your 3D models.

And most of the tc's knee space of 68 cm will go above the shoulder of gunner because of the lower height of gunner's seat than your faulty 3D model.

Since you know nothing about the of basic principles of production drawings , You are dogmatic in clinging on to your wrong views saying how many Cm by which I am off target. You are about 500 mm and 300 mm off target when it comes to the following two crucial dimensions to fix the LOS behind the main sight.

1. the position of the gunner seat(you wrongly marked it at around 1580 mm behind the turret tip-truth is 2100 mm behind the tip)
2,The distance you marked as 1080 mm in the following 3 D model of yours. (which in reality is 1280 mm plus)


What I posted was correct , and consistent with the photo evidence available.

Also I was honest in saying upfront that I don't know much about tanks before. Now it is your turn to admit your inadequacy in reading dimensions from production drawing or photos and your clear lack of knowledge about perspective drawing.

In your model above the distance you marked as 1080 mm is 1250 mm approx .

And the position of the gunner's seat in your model is 1580 mm approx behind the front tip of the gun turret including the covering plates.

But as per the drawing below(validated by the photo above) this distance of the gunner's seat in your model is 1580 mm approx behind the front tip of the gun turret including the covering plates must be 2100 mm.

correct this and the debate is over.

 

[ersakthivel]

So this schematic diagram which shows the Tc behind the main sight and the gunner behind the gap between the gun and the main sight cutaway is the only correct 3 D model.

 

[ersakthivel]

Another photo showing the gunner's seat behind the thick turret front armor in the gap between the main sight and the gun, validating the 3d Model above.

http://vimeo.com/63562413

At 6 minutes 4 seconds we can clearly see the gunner's seat. And close to 600 mm gap between the right edge of thew gunner's seat and the inner wall of turret , where this gap in the following model?

At 6 minutes 44 seconds we can clearly see that the Tc;s seat and the gunner's seat are not in straight line but one besides the other.

Also at 6 minutes 45 seconds & at 6 minutes 55 seconds we can clearly see that there is a spare space of more than 600 mm besides the turret inner wall downward projection line and the edge of the gunner's seat.

Especially at 6 minutes 55 seconds we can clearly see the Tc's seat above and to the left of the gunner's seat near the edge of turret inner wall

It is not even 250 mm in the model above.

 

[ersakthivel]

@kushalappa@sayareakd @rahulrds1 @Rahul Singh
@Kunal Biswas @methos @Damian @militarysta @pmaitra @Dejawolf



Inside Out - Arjun Main Battle Tank - Discovery Channel's Documentary On DRDO on Vimeo

At 6 minutes 58 seconds you can clearly see the gunner's seat is right behind the wider gun mantlet plate.If we draw a vertical line on the manlet plate left edge and extend it straight down we can see that line split the gunner's seat into two equal parts.

So 90 percent of the gunner's seat is not behind the main sight and it is only Tc's seat which is right behind the main sight.

And at 11 minutes 52 seconds you can see both the knees of the commander and the head of the gunner side by side, proof that the knee space for the Tc is provided over right side of the gunner's seat.

If the sit one right behind the other , how can commander's knee show up over the right shoulder of the gunner?

At 12 minutes 37 seconds we don't see any gunner's seat back rest at the knee level straight in front of the Tc's seat like in the model below. Why?

 

[ersakthivel]

At 12 min 03 seconds we can clearly see that the Tc sitting in the gunner's seat is very close to the gun sledge.

So this is how the seating arrangement of gunner and TC may look like . The red rectangle is the 250 mm wide gun sledge. the blue rectangle may be the gunner's seat. The green rectangle may be the Tc's seat.

So if we represent the arrangement on one of @Kunal Biswas 's old drawing, then we can get a rough representation like the one below.

At 15 minutes 01 and 02 seconds we can clearly see the gun sledge being just 250 mm in width.

 

[Vishwarupa]

Final trials of India's Main Battle Tank Arjun Mark II in August

Chennai: The fully integrated modified version of India's Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Mark II would go for final trials in the first week of August in Rajasthan. Though trials of the updated version are presently on in Rajasthan, the fully integrated tanks would be sent for final trials by the Indian Army by August, sources told PTI.
The Army had asked for 93 improvements to the tank, which included 19 major modifications, all of which have been incorporated, they said. Arjun Mark II can fire missiles, has an enhanced Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) with a capacity of 8.5 KW (against Mark I's 4.5 KW), Explosive Reactive Armour panels, mine plough, Automatic Target Tracking, Advanced Land Navigation System, digital control harness and advanced commander panoramic sight among other features.
Arjun will have a better gun barrel with an Equivalent Firing Charge (strength of the barrel to sustain firing) of 500 rounds against the T 72's 250 rounds. Chennai-based Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment has designed the Mark II version of MBT at its facility.

CVRDE co-ordinated with Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune, Instruments Research and Development Establishment, Dehradun, Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety, Delhi and Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad for designing Mark II.

Final trials of India's Main Battle Tank Arjun Mark II in August

 

[The Last Stand]

I would worry about those HE/HESH than thermobaric in terms of explosive power..

Whoever told that such explosive could have more explosive power does not have the much idea on explosive..

============

Btw, May be these will replace HESH, We are also expecting HEAT as well as new AP rounds..

Sir, sorry to say this but you have underrated thermobaric explosives by a long, long way.

A thermobaric weapon is a type of explosive that utilizes a chemical reaction with the surrounding air to generate an intense, high-temperature explosion.

High temperature, so what? - That's what you would say.

They are, weight-for-weight, significantly more energetic than conventional condensed explosives.

Again, you would say, "What is this significance?"

The [blast] kill mechanism against living targets is unique–and unpleasant"¦. What kills is the pressure wave, and more importantly, the subsequent rarefaction [vacuum], which ruptures the lungs"¦. If the fuel deflagrates but does not detonate, victims will be severely burned and will probably also inhale the burning fuel. Since the most common FAE fuels, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, are highly toxic, undetonated FAE should prove as lethal to personnel caught within the cloud as most chemical agents.

Got that? The fuel mixes with the atmosphere and spreads, and whether or not you inhale, the blast wave caused by the explosives inside would kill you. If you did inhale, your lungs would explode. If the explosive fails to work, the fuel is still as bad as a chemical weapon - not to mention the fact that these explosions would ignite atmospheric gases :scared:

There is a good reason why these are used as bunker busters:

For example, the RPO-A "Schmel" has a 2.1 kg explosive mixture. (Fuel+Explosive) and has a TNT equivalence of 5.5 kg. That's more than twice as effective as normal HE.

I guess you would have known all this if you had read up.

P.S. The AGM-114N Hellfire II has an 8 kg thermobaric warhead which also has a shaped charge. Guess why?

Overall, the good news is that we are getting a tremendously effective Anti-Personnel round.

 

[ersakthivel]

Thermobaric ammunition is deadly not matter if it explodes inside vehicle or near the target... scary shit you know.

All rounds that lie on the floor unprotected in medium weight tanks are also as deadly in case of ammo cook off ,
And crew doesn't love it anyway.

A thermo baric round stored in canisterized ammo bin is a much better prospect than that.

 

[The Last Stand]

All rounds that lie on the floor unprotected in medium weight tanks are also as deadly in case of ammo cook off ,
And crew doesn't love it anyway.

Do you mean T-72 and T-90 by medium weight tanks?

 

[Damian]

T-72 and T-90 are classified in russian nomenclature as Основной боевой танк which directly translates as Main Battle Tank, these are not classified as Средний танк which translates as Medium Tank.

This is because tank classification is not realized in former Soviet Union and NATO based on obsolete weight classification, but on vehicle design. Which means that if something was designed as Main Battle Tank, then it is Main Battle Tank not matters if it weights 45 tons or 65 tons.

Besides this, the only tank with safe ammunition storage of whole ammunition is M1 Abrams, some other tanks have only some part of their ammunition stored safely in isolated compartment, and some other do not have any part of their ammunition stored safely in isolated ammunition compartment or compartments.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

True, I have not read wiki a bit before posting & I dont require to as i seen these in Range against targets so there results..

Arjun`s HESH explosive are of HMX derivatives, The explosive contain nearly 12kgs..

These are already tested inside ammo bin of Arjun..

==========================

1. Don't copy wiki always..

2. Read other sources besides wiki..

3. Find about HMX explosive..

4. Learn about more air-fuel explosive..

Do a better research before posting..

Sir, sorry to say this but you have underrated thermobaric explosives by a long, long way.

I guess you would have known all this if you had read up.

 

[ersakthivel]

http://www.armyrecognition.com/indi...ons_information_description_intelligence.html

The height of Arjun as per this army recognition website drawing is 2.32 meter.

The maroon rectangle measures 135 mm on scale.
The front turret height yellow rectangle measures 34mm on scale.

Measurement in mm may wary depending upon the screen size, But the ratio below is always correct ,

So the ratio of turret height/ tank height is (34/135)=0.25185.

So the height of the turret is =0.2585 x 2320 mm= 584 mm.


So the turret front armor block height is 584 mm.






In the following photo the same 584 mm represented by the yellow (turret front width)measures 18 mm on scale.

And the turret front width (maroon rectangle)measures 96 mm on scale.

So the ratio of turret front width / turret front height=5.33

SO the front width of the turret is 5.33 X 584 mm=3115 mm.

So @Kunal Biswas claim of 3200 mm for the width of the turret at the front and at the line joining the two hatch hole center is also proved correct beyond doubt.


@kushalappa@sayareakd @rahulrds1 @Rahul Singh
@methos @Damian @militarysta @pmaitra

So the contentious claim of just under 300o mm for turret width by @Dejawolf is proved wrong, Since there can be no questioning of this method.

It has also been posted by STGN in his pixel based measurement on the photo below,

So as per the photo the width of the TC's hatch is also clearly proved to be around 550 mm , not 500 mm as claimed by @Dejawolf

So the following revision of the correct pixel measurement above to interpret the width of the turret at it's widest part to be around 2500 mm like the one below is a wrong idea.

 

[pmaitra]

Very convincing on the width @ersakthivel. You did a good job there. I am not certain, but I think pixel measurement would always yield approximate results.

Anyway, keep posting your investigations.