Light tanks for Indian Army

Bhadra

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In my
@mail_today
column, the
@adgpi
desi versus videshi light tank debate in Govt. Exclusive details on DRDO_India’s revived light tank project- team up with
@larsentoubro
for tank based on the K9 Vajra + 105 mm modular turret. https://epaper.mailtoday.in/m5/2764624/Mai
Well, John Cockerill turret provides a 105mm Rifles Gun. The turret is modular and modern indeed.
But how is it a DRDO contribution?
If 105 mm Gun is acceptable then why not mount Vijayant Turret on K-9 or K-22 Chesis / hull. There are plenty lying around (about 2000) and Armour Corps guys swear by its gunnery. Go and mount Vijayant turret... if need be redesigned it a bit with modern gadgets and sensors. Spend on Sensors and Fire control system rather than on turret...
 

Bhadra

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Have light tanks become irrelevant like walkmans?
August 30, 2020, 8:51 AM IST Lt General K J Singh in General's Jottings | India | TOI

Appearance of large quantum of PLA armour, specially “so called” light tanks,ZTQ-15, has generated number of shock effects. The first has been belated realisation on continued relevance of tanks, especially in high altitude areas. In a recent seminar, it was proclaimed that tanks are going to become irrelevant like walkmans.

Recently, Britain decided to scrap 225 Challenger-2 tanks. An island can afford such luxury, but reality of current tank inventory — Russia (12,900), USA (6,300) China (5,900) and Pakistan (2,500) — cannot be disregarded, especially with our belligerent adversaries.

Manifestation of swarms of PLA tanks in ‘broadcasting’ mode has highlighted versatility of armour, more importantly, it’s coercive and deterrence potential. Unfortunately, double whammy of budgetary capping and dysfunctional procurement system has reduced inventory to zero sum game. There is clamour for shifting resources from western to northern borders, packaged as ‘rebalancing’. It will be appropriate to flag that in 1965 war, Pakistan surprised us with its second Armoured Division; hope review is done with due deference and history not allowed to repeat.

Second, it has triggered knee-jerk reaction to field light tanks, being touted as silver bullet. Lobbies are active to push ultra light Russian Sprut tanks (18 tons) with air dropping capability. DRDO has utilised this opportunity to revive its comatose light tank project. The harsh reality is that considering gestation of procurement/development cycle, chosen tank is unlikely to be effective in current stand-off. Third, there is no real crisis, with potent mix of medium tanks- T-72s and recently inducted T-90s; ICVs- BMP- 2s, synergised with other anti-tank platforms like attack helicopters, PLA armour can be more than matched.

Debate on light tank is vitiated by self appointed terrain experts, weighed down by status-quo mentality. They opine that light tank is not required in Ladakh and fortify their argument with premise that medium tanks will be able to be streamed through mapped avenues and BMPs will be adequate for difficult terrain. Over reliance on limited gaps and BMPs is questionable and defensive. Faced with similar challenges in Sikkim, seasoned tank drivers/commanders were justifiably accorded, primacy, as opinion makers. However, they have correctly flagged complexity of logistics, associated with fielding of additional platform.

The opening question in this debate is, can we have a tank, designed just for Ladakh? The logical answer is, we need not only light, but also ‘agile’ and versatile tank, to operate in various terrains, including Ladakh. It is important to highlight that agile tanks need to be fielded in adequate numbers, ideally 8-10 regiments, exploiting their versatility, to make it cost effective project. Platforms need to be developed as part of an eco-system and example of stymied Arjuna tank, due to limited orders, should serve as warning.

Hence, proposed tank should have utility for reconnaissance units, riverine terrain (Siliguri corridor), marshy areas (Rann), island territories and for out of area contingencies including UN. In high altitude, they can be deployed in Sikkim, Ladakh and other areas. The most crucial determinant is agility, function of engine power balanced with weight, to ensure survivability/protection, as also carry adequate lethality in terms of gun and missile firing mounts. Traditionally, light tanks were in sub 25 tonne weight class. Air portability and amphibious capability with power to weight ratio (PWR) of around 30 are critical parameters. Chinese ZTQ-15, topping 36 tonne is compromise of sorts. It has 105 mm gun, without missile firing capability and engine of 1000 HP, giving it notional PWR of 30. After factoring 20% de-rating of engines in high altitude, effective PWR drops to 24. It has resorted to extra wide tracks to reduce nominal ground pressure to enhance traffic ability and fording/wading capability.

We need to develop family of vehicles, for which the obvious starting point is to select common chassis and work on modular approach, with multiple variants (gun/missile carriers, reconnaissance and communication), customised for different roles and terrains. There is growing talk of disruptive technologies and they will certainly require agile platforms to be fielded in forward areas. Possible options are platforms like recently developed K9 Vajra SP gun or similar suitable chassis. It will be desirable, at the outset to stipulate macro requirements for an agile tank; air portable, PWR-30, gun ranging from 105 to 125 mm, missile firing capability and preferably amphibious/easy fording capability. High altitude variants should have requisite hardening in terms of pre-heating, batteries, cabling and auxiliary engines. Add-ons like extra wide tracks and rubberised track shoes are vital to minimise damage to fragile and limited communication arteries.

In the interim, we should field hardened battery of K9 Vajras, in Depsang for psychological messaging and building knowledge base. Concurrently, we need to set up facilities for retro-fitting to modernise existing armour fleet, especially by upgrading power packs, to boost agility. Another challenge is maintaining high PWR, yet ensuring sufficient protection. Besides engines, we need to invest in developing Active Protection System (APS), currently prohibitively expensive. In the interim, vanguard units and critical platforms can be equipped with APS. Bottom line is that platforms alone will not suffice as clincher is audacity to employ them imaginatively, exemplified by bouncing Meghna with PT-76s of 63 Cavalry and fielding of Stuarts across Jozila by Gen Sparrow.

(The writer is former Army Commander, Western Command)

 

Bhadra

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So the debate goes on with Lt Gen KJ Singh having reinitiated it after Gen Nirvana and DGMF having drawn a GSQR for RFI.....

I very much like Gen KJ Singh having described it as "Manifestation of swarms of PLA tanks in ‘broadcasting’ mode " crisis. True, so far the Chinese have only demonstrated causing an unnecessary "hudkump" in the Indian camp, but mostly motivated and parochial rather than being real.

The basics must be decided - If the Chinese can use tanks in a given place and a given operational scenario then Indian must also use tanks but not in broadcasting mode. Chinese are required to hold the entire Tibetan plateau. India can not go to beyond Karakoram and Chang Chanmo / Kailash ranges. Hence the Operational imperative must be clear.

The best answer to tanks is the tank and not light tanks or tank killers, or not any anti-tank mounted platforms to hold delay lines. The military answer to maneuver is a counter maneuver and a military answer to tanks led assaults are tanks in defensive roles.

But what is needed for Ladakh is not the same what is needed for marshes, riverine terrain, Island territories, and out of area contingencies. What is needed for UN is a wheeled platform. Indian Army needs to prepare of MOUT in a big way as urban clusters are right on the border of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka , Nepal for internal Security tasks. Tanks as battle machines can not be LOB in such situations.

For Ladakh, the issue is power packs ... mobility and mobility. Indian Army can not and must not be dependent for transportation of tanks by air to its land borders.. Ladakh is not what Tibet is for China in terms of distances and reach. Three months down the line, there is no emergency. If a thing can not be done in three months or if enough forethought has not to be carried out for DBO, another three months is also not going to make a material difference.

Gen KJ Singh's ideas are balanced yet thought-provoking. Why not deploy three batteries of K9 Vajras in three areas of Ladakh.. 47 ton vajra with 1000hp powerpack is as good as T-90. By now IA should have been able to upgrade their T-72 to Cummins 1500hp engines,

IA has already decided to go for Whaps for the Recce and Support, Some more whaps will equip a few more Mechanised battalions to carry out envisaged tasks for Riverine terrains, and UN Missions..

DRDO needs to work on futuristic tank projects with or without K9 Chasis. It may be worth considering K22 chassis for weight reduction. Going back to 105mm gun may also not be a good idea.
 

Flying Dagger

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So the debate goes on with Lt Gen KJ Singh having reinitiated it after Gen Nirvana and DGMF having drawn a GSQR for RFI.....

I very much like Gen KJ Singh having described it as "Manifestation of swarms of PLA tanks in ‘broadcasting’ mode " crisis. True, so far the Chinese have only demonstrated causing an unnecessary "hudkump" in the Indian camp, but mostly motivated and parochial rather than being real.

The basics must be decided - If the Chinese can use tanks in a given place and a given operational scenario then Indian must also use tanks but not in broadcasting mode. Chinese are required to hold the entire Tibetan plateau. India can not go to beyond Karakoram and Chang Chanmo / Kailash ranges. Hence the Operational imperative must be clear.

The best answer to tanks is the tank and not light tanks or tank killers, or not any anti-tank mounted platforms to hold delay lines. The military answer to maneuver is a counter maneuver and a military answer to tanks led assaults are tanks in defensive roles.

But what is needed for Ladakh is not the same what is needed for marshes, riverine terrain, Island territories, and out of area contingencies. What is needed for UN is a wheeled platform. Indian Army needs to prepare of MOUT in a big way as urban clusters are right on the border of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka , Nepal for internal Security tasks. Tanks as battle machines can not be LOB in such situations.

For Ladakh, the issue is power packs ... mobility and mobility. Indian Army can not and must not be dependent for transportation of tanks by air to its land borders.. Ladakh is not what Tibet is for China in terms of distances and reach. Three months down the line, there is no emergency. If a thing can not be done in three months or if enough forethought has not to be carried out for DBO, another three months is also not going to make a material difference.

Gen KJ Singh's ideas are balanced yet thought-provoking. Why not deploy three batteries of K9 Vajras in three areas of Ladakh.. 47 ton vajra with 1000hp powerpack is as good as T-90. By now IA should have been able to upgrade their T-72 to Cummins 1500hp engines,

IA has already decided to go for Whaps for the Recce and Support, Some more whaps will equip a few more Mechanised battalions to carry out envisaged tasks for Riverine terrains, and UN Missions..

DRDO needs to work on futuristic tank projects with or without K9 Chasis. It may be worth considering K22 chassis for weight reduction. Going back to 105mm gun may also not be a good idea.
They are going for 1000 hp engine in T-72 upgrade. Was there any plan for 1500 hp engine ?

I am more concerned if we have been able to resolve the quality issue of already produced T-90s tanks. The way the brand new tanks failed in tank biathlon we may face the worst crisis if it starts happening during war.

And yes T-72 with 1500 hp engine will be able to do much better against Chinese light tank then another imported Light tank as a new platform. With 30hp+/Ton power ratio will be as agile as a light tank better they spend the fund on development of APS and buy them for atleast T-90s.
 

WolfPack86

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India shows interest to acquire Russian 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank tracked arrmored
“Amidst the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, India has sent out a Request for Information (RFI) to Russia for its Sprut light tanks. India has not yet disclosed the exact numbers of tanks to be purchased,” said the website Indian Defence Industries (IDI), citing unnamed sources.

The Sprut-SDM1 is a deeply updated variant of the renowned Sprut-SD air-droppable SPATG. Russia’s arms exporting company Rosoboronexport (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec) introduced an export-oriented variant of the system to the global market in mid-2018. According to the company, the Sprut-SDM1 land platform (its export-oriented model is designated ‘an amphibious light tank’, not ‘a SPATG’) combines high maneuverability and decent firepower. The new system features firepower of the main battle tank and can be airdropped.

The export-oriented Sprut-SDM1 is initially intended for naval infantry and ground troops; however, it can be operated as a traditional light tank in an effective manner. The platform’s armament suite integrates a 125 mm tank cannon, a guided weapon, and a remotely operated weapon system with a 7.62 mm general-purpose machinegun. It should be mentioned that the Sprut-SDM1 fires on-the-move and when swimming. Its sensor suite allows the crew to engage targets round-the-clock and in low-visibility environments. The light tank also features a modern highly automated fire-control system.


The Sprut-SDM1’s firepower capabilities seem to be on par with those of main battle tanks: the platform’s guided weapon allows the system to engage heavy targets, which are protected by explosive reactive armor, at a distance of up to 5 km.

The combat vehicle weighs some 18 t and is powered by a 450-hp engine, producing a road speed of up to 70 km/h and a cruising range of 500 km. As mentioned earlier, the platform is amphibious and can swim for seven hours. The Sprut-SDM1 is manned by a three-strong crew.

The new light tank has two main competitors in the global market, namely the Chinese Type 15 light tank and the Turkish Kaplan MT medium tank. Being a vehicle of the same class, the Sprut-SDM1 has two advantages — a main battle tank-type main gun and amphibious capabilities. Both Type 15 and Kaplan MT carry 105 mm main guns with shortened barrels, while the Sprut-SDM1 is armed with the 125 mm cannon that features higher muzzle velocity and lethality. The use of a guided weapon (neither Type 15 nor Kaplan MT deploys such a capacity) dramatically increases the platform’s distance of firing, turning it into ‘a long hand’ on the battlefield.

The second advantage of the new platform is its tactical flexibility — the Sprut-SDM1 can fire during swims. The system can also be air-transported by a heavy helicopter or a medium airlifter. The combination of light ballistic protection and high maneuverability provides the light tank with decent combat survivability.

The Sprut-SDM1 can be effectively used over rough and mountainous terrains.
 

WolfPack86

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#Indian Army to buy 45 2S5 Sprut-SD/SDM Light Tanks on Emergency basis, which delivery to be started with in a year and completed before 2 years...... Later
@DRDO
's Light Tank Project to be revised.
 

Flying Dagger

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#Indian Army to buy 45 2S5 Sprut-SD/SDM Light Tanks on Emergency basis, which delivery to be started with in a year and completed before 2 years...... Later
@DRDO
's Light Tank Project to be revised.
Even Russia have just 2 dozens of these machines instead the money could have been used to.uograde.engines if T-72 /Vijayanta and T-90s.

Later spare parts maintenance support will be an issue when Russia decides to dump these completely.
 

vishnugupt

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#Indian Army to buy 45 2S5 Sprut-SD/SDM Light Tanks on Emergency basis, which delivery to be started with in a year and completed before 2 years...... Later
@DRDO
's Light Tank Project to be revised.
What happened this time ? No trials, No question, No negotiations ?? will land directly right over Ladakh because this is an emergency.
No doubt, they will be very useful after India China war as it will deliver in next 2 years.
 

johnq

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I don't like the Sprut SDM1. Its protection is crap.
 

Flying Dagger

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I don't like the Sprut SDM1. Its protection is crap.
There isn't much to be expected under 18 Tonne class.

But one thing is for sure DRDO will use 125mm gun on its light tank and not 105mm.

If you want protection as well as agility on then bring T-72 and Vijayanta with 1500 hp tanks problem solved. They can be fielded in numbers within two years.
 

WolfPack86

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The panic buys
As the Himalayan stand-off between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China in eastern Ladakh entered its fourth month, the country’s armed forces embarked on a fresh round of emergency fast-track procurements (FTPs) of weapons and ammunition to replenish their arsenal. The defence ministry is buzzing with activity as files and proposals are being drafted for approvals in South Block with a speed that only crisis brings.

On the anvil are a slew of weapon imports, including light tanks, tank ammunition, surface-to-air missiles,assault rifles and drones, estimated at over Rs 10,000 crore from three of India’s biggest defence suppliers, Russia, the US and Israel. The weapons are meant to equip the army and the air force forward-deployed in Ladakh since late May. On July 16, the defence ministry allowedemergency procurements worth Rs 500 crore for each of the three services, with no restrictions on the number of such programmes.

The army, which has deployed four divisions in the theatre of action, has the most numerous requirements. It wants kamikaze drones, anti-tank guided munitions, shoulder-fired missiles, high-mobility vehicles and GPS-guided shells for the newly-acquired ultra-light howitzers, and even ammunition for small arms (see Fast-Track Purchases). The air force wants additional shipments of Derby and MICA air-to-air missiles and Spice-1000 precision-guided munitions for its fighters. Rather than wait to integrate Israeli munitions on its Rafale fighter jets, it has opted for French Hammer precision-guided munitions to equip its first five jets flying in from France, literally into the thick of action, on July 29. A defence ministry official indicated that almost 100 cases are in the contractual process, to be concluded by the end of the current financial year, March 2021.




The road less taken

The world over, defence purchases are a cumbersome process lasting several years. In India, the byzantine procurement process involves the civil and military bureaucracy as well as the political leadership, which means it could take even a decade to purchase anything from a sophisticated fighter jet to a bulletproof jacket. The armed forces have to identify requirements, look for hardware that meets their needs, conduct extensive trials and finally invite competing bids from global suppliers. The arrival of the Rafale jets is the culmination of a process that began soon after the 1999 Kargil War, with the contract finally signed in 2016.

Emergency FTPs, which shorten the defence ministry’s cumbersome weapons acquisition processes, first began during the Kargil War. The army found its ammunition stocks insufficient to last even that short border conflict. Artillery, essential for softening up enemy targets before soldiers can move in, relies on a constant supply of ammunition. A 155 mm Bofors gun, for instance, requires at least 250 shells per day to fire in an offensive mode. In Kargil, even as Indian artillery trained their gunsights at features like Tiger Hill and in Batalik, army and defence ministry procurement teams were flying into Cape Town and Tel Aviv to top up the depleting stocks of shells.

The FTP, a beguiling enemy-at-the-gates syndrome, has been a feature of every military crisis ever since. The purchases triggered by the ongoing Ladakh stand-off would be the third occasion in recent years when the armed forces went on an emergency weapons and ammunition-buying spree. FTPs had also followed the cross-border raids by Indian forces in the aftermath of the September 2016 Uri terror attack and the February 2019 air strikes in Balakot, when India and Pakistan once again teetered on the brink of a conflict.

An army official explains how FTPs and the delegation of emergency financial powers are helpful. Between January 2014 and October 2016, the army concluded 20 contracts valued at Rs 400 crore. When the delegation of powers happened in 2016, the army did contracts worth Rs 11,000 crore. “It gave a big boost to this model and revived the government’s confidence, and therefore, it was allowed to go beyond the stipulated time and 40 more contacts worth Rs 4,500 crore were done through this process,” says the official.

FTPs can be explained by India’s heavy and continuing dependence on imported military hardware. The country was the world’s second-largest importer of arms in 2014-18 and accounts for 9.2 per cent of the global arms sales.

Indian armed forces are among the five largest in the world. At $71 billion, India’s defence budget in 2019 was only a fraction of what the US ($705.4 billion) and China ($261 billion) spent, but it was still the world’s third largest. The failure to create an indigenous military-industrial complex that would keep pace with a military machine and its requirements is what leads to imports of fighter jets, tanks and submarines. While these acquisitions significantly boost combat capability, they also leave the country vulnerable to imports. “Your capability to fight anything, from a local skirmish to a long war, is ultimately dictated by your domestic production capabilities,” says Lt General Sanjay Kulkarni, former director general, Infantry.

Government campaigns for self-reliance, Make in India in 2014 and Atmanirbhar Bharat in 2020, have not been turned into roadmaps towards achieving self-sufficiency in weapons requirements.

Among the early indications that the Ladakh stand-off was going to be a prolonged one, necessitating overseas weapons purchases, was defence minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow in June. Singh was there as a state guest at the Victory Day parade on June 24. He took along a defence ministry delegation, including the defence secretary, senior bureaucrats and military officials, and spent a full day meeting key members of Russia’s military-industrial complex and discussing urgent buys from India’s largest overseas supplier.



Indigenous the way

Proponents of an indigenous defence industrial base say fast-track imports are like a foot in the door and gradually expand into larger orders, diverting limited budgetary resources. The army is close to placing a second order of 72,000 battle rifles from US arms-maker SIG Sauer, after an identical purchase last year. Indian manufacturers who have invested in developing domestic capabilities to design and develop small arms are aghast. “FTPs strike the biggest blow to Indian industry. When the armed forces go for foreign weapons, even small arms, you are effectively telling the world that your indigenous capacity is worthless. When we try and export, the first question we are asked is ‘why isn’t your own army buying your products’,” says the CEO of a private sector firm.



The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is worried that an order for a regiment (45 vehicles) of Russian 2SDS ‘Sprut’ light tanks for use in high-altitude terrains like Ladakh will kill its own under-the-wraps light tank project. The infantry wants more Israeli-built ‘Spike’ anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) even as the DRDO is readying an indigenous man portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) for the army.

A bulk of the current fast-track buys are for ammunition. The shortfalls, army officials say, have been caused by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), whose 41 factories have failed to keep the supply lines running. The OFB is part of the defence ministry’s Department of Defence Production. A series of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports have highlighted deficiencies in OFB-produced ammunition. A 2015 CAG report noted that 74 per cent of 170 types of ammunition failed to meet the ‘minimum acceptable risk level’ and only 10 per cent met the ‘war wastage reserve’ requirements. Another CAG audit for 2017-18 presented in Parliament in December 2019 said that the ordnance factories ‘had achieved production targets for only 49 per cent of the items’. A significant quantity of the army’s demand for principal ammunition items remained outstanding as on March 31, 2018, adversely impacting its operational preparedness, said the report. OFB exports, the report said, decreased by 39 per cent in 2017-18 over 2016-17.

On May 16 this year, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government was corporatising the OFB to improve ‘autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies’. Corporatisation, though, could take several years to bear fruit.

Attempts at private sector ammunition production have not taken off either, though not for want of capacity, capability or investments. In June, the army’s Master General of Ordnance Branch inexplicably pulled the plug on a 2016 plan to procure ammunition from the private sector. A brainchild of then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the plan had aimed to bring the private sector into what was until then a government monopoly. It studied the 2016 experience where ammunition deficiencies led to fast-track buys. The goal was not only import substitution but also to create a vast domestic ammunition manufacturing capacity that the armed forces could tap into in an emergency. Deliveries would commence from six months of signing of the contract and spread over 10 years.

Fifteen private sector firms had planned to bid for eight procurement contracts for specialised tank, anti-aircraft and infantry ammunition for the army’s vast Russian-origin arsenal of battle tanks, anti-aircraft guns, multiple grenade launchers and 155 mm artillery guns (see A Lost Opportunity). Some of the private players had even established plants and scouted for international partners, anticipating orders. Five requests for proposal (RFPs) for ammunition were withdrawn while no decision has been taken on proposals for BMCS (Bi Modular Charge System) and fuses. With the collapse of long-term capability building plans, short-term weapons acquisitions will continue to remain more attractive.
 

WolfPack86

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India shows interest to acquire Russian 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank tracked arrmored
“Amidst the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, India has sent out a Request for Information (RFI) to Russia for its Sprut light tanks. India has not yet disclosed the exact numbers of tanks to be purchased,” said the website Indian Defence Industries (IDI), citing unnamed sources.

The Sprut-SDM1 is a deeply updated variant of the renowned Sprut-SD air-droppable SPATG. Russia’s arms exporting company Rosoboronexport (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec) introduced an export-oriented variant of the system to the global market in mid-2018. According to the company, the Sprut-SDM1 land platform (its export-oriented model is designated ‘an amphibious light tank’, not ‘a SPATG’) combines high maneuverability and decent firepower. The new system features firepower of the main battle tank and can be airdropped.

The export-oriented Sprut-SDM1 is initially intended for naval infantry and ground troops; however, it can be operated as a traditional light tank in an effective manner. The platform’s armament suite integrates a 125 mm tank cannon, a guided weapon, and a remotely operated weapon system with a 7.62 mm general-purpose machinegun. It should be mentioned that the Sprut-SDM1 fires on-the-move and when swimming. Its sensor suite allows the crew to engage targets round-the-clock and in low-visibility environments. The light tank also features a modern highly automated fire-control system.


The Sprut-SDM1’s firepower capabilities seem to be on par with those of main battle tanks: the platform’s guided weapon allows the system to engage heavy targets, which are protected by explosive reactive armor, at a distance of up to 5 km.

The combat vehicle weighs some 18 t and is powered by a 450-hp engine, producing a road speed of up to 70 km/h and a cruising range of 500 km. As mentioned earlier, the platform is amphibious and can swim for seven hours. The Sprut-SDM1 is manned by a three-strong crew.

The new light tank has two main competitors in the global market, namely the Chinese Type 15 light tank and the Turkish Kaplan MT medium tank. Being a vehicle of the same class, the Sprut-SDM1 has two advantages — a main battle tank-type main gun and amphibious capabilities. Both Type 15 and Kaplan MT carry 105 mm main guns with shortened barrels, while the Sprut-SDM1 is armed with the 125 mm cannon that features higher muzzle velocity and lethality. The use of a guided weapon (neither Type 15 nor Kaplan MT deploys such a capacity) dramatically increases the platform’s distance of firing, turning it into ‘a long hand’ on the battlefield.

The second advantage of the new platform is its tactical flexibility — the Sprut-SDM1 can fire during swims. The system can also be air-transported by a heavy helicopter or a medium airlifter. The combination of light ballistic protection and high maneuverability provides the light tank with decent combat survivability.

The Sprut-SDM1 can be effectively used over rough and mountainous terrains.
 

Tridev123

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India shows interest to acquire Russian 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank tracked arrmored
“Amidst the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, India has sent out a Request for Information (RFI) to Russia for its Sprut light tanks. India has not yet disclosed the exact numbers of tanks to be purchased,” said the website Indian Defence Industries (IDI), citing unnamed sources.

The Sprut-SDM1 is a deeply updated variant of the renowned Sprut-SD air-droppable SPATG. Russia’s arms exporting company Rosoboronexport (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec) introduced an export-oriented variant of the system to the global market in mid-2018. According to the company, the Sprut-SDM1 land platform (its export-oriented model is designated ‘an amphibious light tank’, not ‘a SPATG’) combines high maneuverability and decent firepower. The new system features firepower of the main battle tank and can be airdropped.

The export-oriented Sprut-SDM1 is initially intended for naval infantry and ground troops; however, it can be operated as a traditional light tank in an effective manner. The platform’s armament suite integrates a 125 mm tank cannon, a guided weapon, and a remotely operated weapon system with a 7.62 mm general-purpose machinegun. It should be mentioned that the Sprut-SDM1 fires on-the-move and when swimming. Its sensor suite allows the crew to engage targets round-the-clock and in low-visibility environments. The light tank also features a modern highly automated fire-control system.


The Sprut-SDM1’s firepower capabilities seem to be on par with those of main battle tanks: the platform’s guided weapon allows the system to engage heavy targets, which are protected by explosive reactive armor, at a distance of up to 5 km.

The combat vehicle weighs some 18 t and is powered by a 450-hp engine, producing a road speed of up to 70 km/h and a cruising range of 500 km. As mentioned earlier, the platform is amphibious and can swim for seven hours. The Sprut-SDM1 is manned by a three-strong crew.

The new light tank has two main competitors in the global market, namely the Chinese Type 15 light tank and the Turkish Kaplan MT medium tank. Being a vehicle of the same class, the Sprut-SDM1 has two advantages — a main battle tank-type main gun and amphibious capabilities. Both Type 15 and Kaplan MT carry 105 mm main guns with shortened barrels, while the Sprut-SDM1 is armed with the 125 mm cannon that features higher muzzle velocity and lethality. The use of a guided weapon (neither Type 15 nor Kaplan MT deploys such a capacity) dramatically increases the platform’s distance of firing, turning it into ‘a long hand’ on the battlefield.

The second advantage of the new platform is its tactical flexibility — the Sprut-SDM1 can fire during swims. The system can also be air-transported by a heavy helicopter or a medium airlifter. The combination of light ballistic protection and high maneuverability provides the light tank with decent combat survivability.

The Sprut-SDM1 can be effectively used over rough and mountainous terrains.
Can the Israeli Trophy APS be fitted on the Sprut to increase survivability. What will be the weight penalty. I believe the Sprut has relatively light armour. An APS will offer some protection against modern RPG rounds and ATGM.
Also cost wise is it economical.
 

Flying Dagger

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The panic buys
As the Himalayan stand-off between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China in eastern Ladakh entered its fourth month, the country’s armed forces embarked on a fresh round of emergency fast-track procurements (FTPs) of weapons and ammunition to replenish their arsenal. The defence ministry is buzzing with activity as files and proposals are being drafted for approvals in South Block with a speed that only crisis brings.

On the anvil are a slew of weapon imports, including light tanks, tank ammunition, surface-to-air missiles,assault rifles and drones, estimated at over Rs 10,000 crore from three of India’s biggest defence suppliers, Russia, the US and Israel. The weapons are meant to equip the army and the air force forward-deployed in Ladakh since late May. On July 16, the defence ministry allowedemergency procurements worth Rs 500 crore for each of the three services, with no restrictions on the number of such programmes.

The army, which has deployed four divisions in the theatre of action, has the most numerous requirements. It wants kamikaze drones, anti-tank guided munitions, shoulder-fired missiles, high-mobility vehicles and GPS-guided shells for the newly-acquired ultra-light howitzers, and even ammunition for small arms (see Fast-Track Purchases). The air force wants additional shipments of Derby and MICA air-to-air missiles and Spice-1000 precision-guided munitions for its fighters. Rather than wait to integrate Israeli munitions on its Rafale fighter jets, it has opted for French Hammer precision-guided munitions to equip its first five jets flying in from France, literally into the thick of action, on July 29. A defence ministry official indicated that almost 100 cases are in the contractual process, to be concluded by the end of the current financial year, March 2021.




The road less taken

The world over, defence purchases are a cumbersome process lasting several years. In India, the byzantine procurement process involves the civil and military bureaucracy as well as the political leadership, which means it could take even a decade to purchase anything from a sophisticated fighter jet to a bulletproof jacket. The armed forces have to identify requirements, look for hardware that meets their needs, conduct extensive trials and finally invite competing bids from global suppliers. The arrival of the Rafale jets is the culmination of a process that began soon after the 1999 Kargil War, with the contract finally signed in 2016.

Emergency FTPs, which shorten the defence ministry’s cumbersome weapons acquisition processes, first began during the Kargil War. The army found its ammunition stocks insufficient to last even that short border conflict. Artillery, essential for softening up enemy targets before soldiers can move in, relies on a constant supply of ammunition. A 155 mm Bofors gun, for instance, requires at least 250 shells per day to fire in an offensive mode. In Kargil, even as Indian artillery trained their gunsights at features like Tiger Hill and in Batalik, army and defence ministry procurement teams were flying into Cape Town and Tel Aviv to top up the depleting stocks of shells.

The FTP, a beguiling enemy-at-the-gates syndrome, has been a feature of every military crisis ever since. The purchases triggered by the ongoing Ladakh stand-off would be the third occasion in recent years when the armed forces went on an emergency weapons and ammunition-buying spree. FTPs had also followed the cross-border raids by Indian forces in the aftermath of the September 2016 Uri terror attack and the February 2019 air strikes in Balakot, when India and Pakistan once again teetered on the brink of a conflict.

An army official explains how FTPs and the delegation of emergency financial powers are helpful. Between January 2014 and October 2016, the army concluded 20 contracts valued at Rs 400 crore. When the delegation of powers happened in 2016, the army did contracts worth Rs 11,000 crore. “It gave a big boost to this model and revived the government’s confidence, and therefore, it was allowed to go beyond the stipulated time and 40 more contacts worth Rs 4,500 crore were done through this process,” says the official.

FTPs can be explained by India’s heavy and continuing dependence on imported military hardware. The country was the world’s second-largest importer of arms in 2014-18 and accounts for 9.2 per cent of the global arms sales.

Indian armed forces are among the five largest in the world. At $71 billion, India’s defence budget in 2019 was only a fraction of what the US ($705.4 billion) and China ($261 billion) spent, but it was still the world’s third largest. The failure to create an indigenous military-industrial complex that would keep pace with a military machine and its requirements is what leads to imports of fighter jets, tanks and submarines. While these acquisitions significantly boost combat capability, they also leave the country vulnerable to imports. “Your capability to fight anything, from a local skirmish to a long war, is ultimately dictated by your domestic production capabilities,” says Lt General Sanjay Kulkarni, former director general, Infantry.

Government campaigns for self-reliance, Make in India in 2014 and Atmanirbhar Bharat in 2020, have not been turned into roadmaps towards achieving self-sufficiency in weapons requirements.

Among the early indications that the Ladakh stand-off was going to be a prolonged one, necessitating overseas weapons purchases, was defence minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow in June. Singh was there as a state guest at the Victory Day parade on June 24. He took along a defence ministry delegation, including the defence secretary, senior bureaucrats and military officials, and spent a full day meeting key members of Russia’s military-industrial complex and discussing urgent buys from India’s largest overseas supplier.



Indigenous the way

Proponents of an indigenous defence industrial base say fast-track imports are like a foot in the door and gradually expand into larger orders, diverting limited budgetary resources. The army is close to placing a second order of 72,000 battle rifles from US arms-maker SIG Sauer, after an identical purchase last year. Indian manufacturers who have invested in developing domestic capabilities to design and develop small arms are aghast. “FTPs strike the biggest blow to Indian industry. When the armed forces go for foreign weapons, even small arms, you are effectively telling the world that your indigenous capacity is worthless. When we try and export, the first question we are asked is ‘why isn’t your own army buying your products’,” says the CEO of a private sector firm.



The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is worried that an order for a regiment (45 vehicles) of Russian 2SDS ‘Sprut’ light tanks for use in high-altitude terrains like Ladakh will kill its own under-the-wraps light tank project. The infantry wants more Israeli-built ‘Spike’ anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) even as the DRDO is readying an indigenous man portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) for the army.

A bulk of the current fast-track buys are for ammunition. The shortfalls, army officials say, have been caused by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), whose 41 factories have failed to keep the supply lines running. The OFB is part of the defence ministry’s Department of Defence Production. A series of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports have highlighted deficiencies in OFB-produced ammunition. A 2015 CAG report noted that 74 per cent of 170 types of ammunition failed to meet the ‘minimum acceptable risk level’ and only 10 per cent met the ‘war wastage reserve’ requirements. Another CAG audit for 2017-18 presented in Parliament in December 2019 said that the ordnance factories ‘had achieved production targets for only 49 per cent of the items’. A significant quantity of the army’s demand for principal ammunition items remained outstanding as on March 31, 2018, adversely impacting its operational preparedness, said the report. OFB exports, the report said, decreased by 39 per cent in 2017-18 over 2016-17.

On May 16 this year, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government was corporatising the OFB to improve ‘autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies’. Corporatisation, though, could take several years to bear fruit.

Attempts at private sector ammunition production have not taken off either, though not for want of capacity, capability or investments. In June, the army’s Master General of Ordnance Branch inexplicably pulled the plug on a 2016 plan to procure ammunition from the private sector. A brainchild of then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the plan had aimed to bring the private sector into what was until then a government monopoly. It studied the 2016 experience where ammunition deficiencies led to fast-track buys. The goal was not only import substitution but also to create a vast domestic ammunition manufacturing capacity that the armed forces could tap into in an emergency. Deliveries would commence from six months of signing of the contract and spread over 10 years.

Fifteen private sector firms had planned to bid for eight procurement contracts for specialised tank, anti-aircraft and infantry ammunition for the army’s vast Russian-origin arsenal of battle tanks, anti-aircraft guns, multiple grenade launchers and 155 mm artillery guns (see A Lost Opportunity). Some of the private players had even established plants and scouted for international partners, anticipating orders. Five requests for proposal (RFPs) for ammunition were withdrawn while no decision has been taken on proposals for BMCS (Bi Modular Charge System) and fuses. With the collapse of long-term capability building plans, short-term weapons acquisitions will continue to remain more attractive.
I was going over the interview of SSS Defence head on Livefist. There is no doubt they did copied the Aks but atleast they have the right intention to provide best rifle which is affordable . Instead of mere assembling they even copied them and are providing it as an alternative to Ak-203.

I think army should really check it out and if find them good let them work with OFB and produce them in mass instead of TAR or Ghatak.

This will not only put OFB in its right place but motivate small defence firms to come up with innovative solutions.
 

WolfPack86

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Russia offers India Sprut lightweight tanks amid stand-off with China
New Delhi: Russia has offered India its 18-tonne Sprut SDM1 lightweight tanks for possible procurement amid the ongoing stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh, ThePrint has learnt.


Sources in the defence and security establishment said the offer for Spruts, capable of being airlifted, was made during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Russia in June.


The move came as India has deployed heavy T-90 tanks, weighing about 46 tonnes, in Ladakh, besides T-72 tanks, which weigh around 45 tonnes and were deployed earlier.


China, meanwhile, has deployed its new lightweight tanks, Type 15, which weigh around 33 tonnes.


Lightweight tanks allow faster mobility in mountainous terrain than regular battle tanks that weigh over 40 tonnes.


During Rajnath Singh’s visit, New Delhi and Moscow prepared a list of items that could be bought and sold in wake of the tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).


The lightweight tank didn’t feature in India’s demands but was part of the Russian offer, said the sources.

However, some sources said the technical discussions are ongoing between the Indian embassy in Moscow and Russian authorities. Under technical discussions, both sides talked about the technical aspects of the weapons system to understand its capabilities and limitations.


But defence sources maintained that no emergency procurement is planned for these light weight tanks currently.

The interest in lightweight tanks

The need for light weight tanks has been noted in the past too, but the Army’s interest in it comes in the wake of tensions with China.


In 2009, the Army had issued a Request for Information (RFI) for 200 wheeled and 100 tracked light weight tanks for the new Mountain Divisions that was then being raised.


Now, the government-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is reportedly working on lightweight tanks. Reports suggest the DRDO is in talks with private company Larsen & Toubro for converting the K9 ‘Vajra’ 155 mm self-propelled howitzer into a 35-tonne light weight tank.


According to the planned DRDO design, the K9’s 155/52 mm howitzer will be replaced by a modular turret and 105 mm gun made by Belgian firm John Cockerel Defence SA. The gun is capable of firing at 42-degree elevation, which would be helpful in a mountain warfare scenario.


If the project fructifies, the L&T’s production line of Vajra would be used to produce these tanks. The production line in Surat is set to go idle by the end of this year when the 100th Vajra is delivered under the contract.


In the past, India had lightweight tanks that were used during the 1947-48 Kashmir operations and then the 1962 and 1971 wars. However, these later paved the way for heavier tanks.
 

Shaitan

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India shows interest to acquire Russian 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank tracked arrmored
“Amidst the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, India has sent out a Request for Information (RFI) to Russia for its Sprut light tanks. India has not yet disclosed the exact numbers of tanks to be purchased,” said the website Indian Defence Industries (IDI), citing unnamed sources.

The Sprut-SDM1 is a deeply updated variant of the renowned Sprut-SD air-droppable SPATG. Russia’s arms exporting company Rosoboronexport (a subsidiary of state corporation Rostec) introduced an export-oriented variant of the system to the global market in mid-2018. According to the company, the Sprut-SDM1 land platform (its export-oriented model is designated ‘an amphibious light tank’, not ‘a SPATG’) combines high maneuverability and decent firepower. The new system features firepower of the main battle tank and can be airdropped.

The export-oriented Sprut-SDM1 is initially intended for naval infantry and ground troops; however, it can be operated as a traditional light tank in an effective manner. The platform’s armament suite integrates a 125 mm tank cannon, a guided weapon, and a remotely operated weapon system with a 7.62 mm general-purpose machinegun. It should be mentioned that the Sprut-SDM1 fires on-the-move and when swimming. Its sensor suite allows the crew to engage targets round-the-clock and in low-visibility environments. The light tank also features a modern highly automated fire-control system.


The Sprut-SDM1’s firepower capabilities seem to be on par with those of main battle tanks: the platform’s guided weapon allows the system to engage heavy targets, which are protected by explosive reactive armor, at a distance of up to 5 km.

The combat vehicle weighs some 18 t and is powered by a 450-hp engine, producing a road speed of up to 70 km/h and a cruising range of 500 km. As mentioned earlier, the platform is amphibious and can swim for seven hours. The Sprut-SDM1 is manned by a three-strong crew.

The new light tank has two main competitors in the global market, namely the Chinese Type 15 light tank and the Turkish Kaplan MT medium tank. Being a vehicle of the same class, the Sprut-SDM1 has two advantages — a main battle tank-type main gun and amphibious capabilities. Both Type 15 and Kaplan MT carry 105 mm main guns with shortened barrels, while the Sprut-SDM1 is armed with the 125 mm cannon that features higher muzzle velocity and lethality. The use of a guided weapon (neither Type 15 nor Kaplan MT deploys such a capacity) dramatically increases the platform’s distance of firing, turning it into ‘a long hand’ on the battlefield.

The second advantage of the new platform is its tactical flexibility — the Sprut-SDM1 can fire during swims. The system can also be air-transported by a heavy helicopter or a medium airlifter. The combination of light ballistic protection and high maneuverability provides the light tank with decent combat survivability.

The Sprut-SDM1 can be effectively used over rough and mountainous terrains.

Wow, is this really a case of the import mafia at work, or just ignorance from journalist? Someone please find me one first hand source from the user that says they are looking at the Sprut? So where does Sprut come from?
 

WolfPack86

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#India shows interest to acquire #Russian 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank tracked arrmored “Amidst the ongoing standoff in Ladakh, India has sent out a RFI to #Russia for its Sprut light tanks. India has not yet disclosed the exact numbers of tanks to be purchased.
 

WolfPack86

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India in advanced talks with Russia to acquire Sprut light tanks for use in high altitude areas
India is in advanced talks with Russia to acquire a newly developed light tank that could be useful in high altitude areas like the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Talks to buy the Sprut SDM1 light tanks were initiated late in July under a fast-track, government-to-government process, sources told ET.

The need for such tanks was felt after increased Indian deployments at the LAC following border hostilities with China, which has also fielded a range of equipment, including its Type 15 light tanks.


The new tanks are under trial in Russia, but sources said they could be inducted in India as well for a series of rigorous field tests before the deal is finalised.

India could acquire almost two dozen such tanks in the first tranche. The procurement is likely to cost less than ₹500 crore, which falls within the emergency financial powers given to service chiefs after the Galwan clash. The expenditure is expected to be within the emergency financial powers given to the Army following the clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley in June.

ET was the first to report in July that the government had given approvals for emergency procurement of lightweight tanks for deployment in high-altitude conditions, amid the ongoing border standoff with China. Final discussions on the contract are expected to conclude this year.

The Sprut SDM1 light tank, transportable by air, has commonalities with the T72 and T90s operated by India and would require minimal crew training to become operational. It is armed with a 125 mm gun, similar to the one on the T90, and fires all types of ammunition with the T72/90 fleet available with the Army.

India has a robust tank force, but all of them are heavy main battle tanks — T72s, T90s and the indigenously developed Arjun — considered more suitable for operations in the plains. While these tanks have been sent to the Himalayan border as well, navigating them on difficult border terrain has been an issue.

The Sprut SDM1 is designed to be airdropped from an aircraft with its crew of three sitting inside the tank. India has operated light tanks in the past and it has come in handy during the 1947-48 Kashmir operations as well as the 1962 war with China, but these have been slowly phased out.
 

WolfPack86

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India in advanced talks with Russia to acquire Sprut light tanks for use in high altitude areas

India is in advanced talks with Russia to acquire a newly developed light tank that could be useful in high altitude areas like the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Talks to buy the Sprut SDM1 light tanks were initiated late in July under a fast-track, government-to-government process, sources told ET. The need for such tanks was felt after increased Indian deployments at the LAC following border hostilities with China, which has also fielded a range of equipment, including its Type 15 light tanks. The new tanks are under trial in Russia, but sources said they could be inducted in India as well for a series of rigorous field tests before the deal is finalised. India could acquire almost two dozen such tanks in the first tranche. The procurement is likely to cost less than ?500 crore, which falls within the emergency financial powers given to service chiefs after the Galwan clash. The expenditure is expected to be within the emergency financial powers given to the Army following the clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan valley in June. ET was the first to report in July that the government had given approvals for emergency procurement of lightweight tanks for deployment in high-altitude conditions, amid the ongoing border standoff with China. Final discussions on the contract are expected to conclude this year. The Sprut SDM1 light tank, transportable by air, has commonalities with the T72 and T90s operated by India and would require minimal crew training to become operational. It is armed with a 125 mm gun, similar to the one on the T90, and fires all types of ammunition with the T72/90 fleet available with the Army. India has a robust tank force, but all of them are heavy main battle tanks — T72s, T90s and the indigenously developed Arjun — considered more suitable for operations in the plains. While these tanks have been sent to the Himalayan border as well, navigating them on difficult border terrain has been an issue. The Sprut SDM1 is designed to be airdropped from an aircraft with its crew of three sitting inside the tank. India has operated light tanks in the past and it has come in handy during the 1947-48 Kashmir operations as well as the 1962 war with China, but these have been slowly phased out.
 

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