Main Battle Tanks and Armour Technology

[SHASH2K2]

@SHASH2K2

Thats old news. Trials are over and Arjun was victorious in every field. Infact army has placed additional order of 124 tanks.

sorry for posting old news. we rarely see Arjun news on any foreign news paers so thought of sharing it that Arjun is getting famous .

 

[ppgj]

Arjun should have proven itself in 2000, not in 2008. It was 8 years too late in trying to prove itself.

it had proven itself in 2005. army never did the comparative trials. IA ran away from the trials...

what about T-90?? were they ready then?? are they ready even now??

The engine is impressive

ofcourse it is.

but its armour is not. It is still not as good as the T-90.

do you think Pakistan still has the same armour?? they will move just as us!! do you think they will reveal?? armour is always a secret!! you will find only when we face off.

All tanks in the subcontinent, including Arjun are pea shooters compared to the T-90M.

T-90M seems to be out of the world!!! isn't it?? god bless IA.

The deployment rate of the T-90 is faster than the Arjun.

deployment is related to production which in turn is related to the order!!! for a paltry 248 order (as against an 1657 unit order for an inferior tank) you can't have additional lines of production. if IA had given a bigger order of 1000 or so, that could have happened.

btw how many T-90's have rolled out locally post 2001 TOT agreement?? as of august 2009 - a grand total of 10

http://kuku.sawf.org/News/59601.aspx

We don't want superior armour, we want superior speed in deployment. The Pakistanis are already ahead of us in this aspect,

so, it does not matter the lives of the soldier who drive those tanks.. it does not matter if they have an underpowered engine, it does not matter in the event of a hit - they survive or not, it does not matter if they don't match up with the enemy vis a vis acceleration, speed etc...speedy deployment to lose?? great!!

why else do you think army is so keen on employing Gunship helis.

gun ships? even LCH has an IAF order. IA is only interested.

IAF had booked 65 LCHs. "The army has also shown keen interest in buying a large number of these for the army aviation wing," he said.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71170/iaf-plaudits-lch-its-maiden.html

even the 22 attach heli contest is for IAF not IA!!!

http://www.india-defence.com/reports-3857

I had already said this before. Arjun is late.

answered already.

You don't go back on your contract just because a competitor is giving you a weaker tank

you only said down in the previous post that "we are the arm twisters"!! so, what has stopped us doing that in the last 11 years post induction?? so much for our power!! just because of the contract you want to send our brave soldiers on suicide missions?? bravo.

for more cost(Arjun).

if you refuse to beleive the costs of both tanks known now, i can't help.

You just need to go out and read a bit more than Shiv's blog. The T-90s guns is superior to the Arjun and everybody knows the Kanchan+Kaktus combo will give us the best protected tank in the subcontinent.

if KAKTUS ERA could do so much magic, why do we need even T-90 which is nothing but T-72 BM upgraded!!

DRDO kanchan does ring in my ears though. =xD

We have not received ToT on the Russian armour. So we are going ahead with our own.

what happened to our ARM TWISTING ABILITIES!! we don't get TOT on Armour, we get barrel tech after much haggling that too in 2008!!

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india-russia-resolve-t90-technology-transfer-issues/350906/

blessed indeed is IA by mother Russia!!!

Army is happy with the Kanchan armour and have expressed that. But they are not happy with the late latif Arjun.

late latif??? even now, not ready T-90 is fine but ready Arjun is untouchable. god bless us.

Livefist is playing you. DRDO will not reveal the program cost of the Arjun so quickly. What we heard in parliament was the program cost for the T-90 while what we know about Arjun is the unit cost.

a nitpick - i have not referred Livefist at all.

as for the rest you can beleive what you want to beleive. in the mean time i asked for what we heard in the "PARLIAMENT"?? you are yet to give me a link.

Giving a T-80 a bigger engine does not mean they will get through the T-90M that easily.

when T-90's can't even go near the T-80's the point is moot.

Just check the specs and figure it out yourself.

which specs?? will appreciate a link??

T-90 has a 1000hp engine and may have a 1200 hp engine.

damned if they don't urgently!!!!!

Everything matters when you buy a tank.

hope that applies to T-90 too!!!

T-90s will be made here, so jobs, self reliance is taken care of. Arm twisting from Russia is a rare occurrence and they have stopped doing it since the last 2 decades after the split.

but you missed one thing, when you build a product under licence, you pay royalty to the OEM!! why should we pay for an inferior tank?? besides for future upgrades you are at the OEM's mercy!! besides you create a pool of designers which will help in the long run from an india defence tech POV!!

We are the arm twisters now.

did not we hear about russian refusal for the T-72 simulators very recently!!

That was the last nail in Arjuns coffins.

still it got 124 additional order!!

If DRDO is making ordinance for T-90 then its over.

hope the army did not hear that.

Look forward to the Arjun Mk2 and hope it is even slightly better than the T-90M. Arjun is passe.

we will talk then.

 

[AJSINGH]

as much as be debate about T-90S/M or Arjun /MkII , the fact still remains that IA is going ahead with T-90 and not arjun , Arjun should replace upgraded T-72 tanks , but replacing already many T-90S and future T-90M would be foolish , i say ,retire T-72 and buy more Arjun tanks

 

[Kunal Biswas]

as much as be debate about T-90S/M or Arjun /MkII , the fact still remains that IA is going ahead with T-90 and not arjun , Arjun should replace upgraded T-72 tanks , but replacing already many T-90S and future T-90M would be foolish , i say ,retire T-72 and buy more Arjun tanks

Indian Armed forces already fielding +600 T-90S and further 1000 T-90 will be induce in IA Tank fleet, This no of T-90 is = To the Number of T-72M1 operating in IA..

Indian Army Tank fleet have 124 Arjun available right now which is too less to be included in strike force, therefore more 124 Arjuns were ordered in past ( MAX capacity of Avadi in present regarding Arjun ) in future their will be more orders to place her in strike forces..

Btw, All the links and the data is on the thread abt which is better and which is not, further discussion is useless..

 

[Agantrope]

Still T-90M is a prototype. I havent saw any production items in lineup neither in russia or in india.

It is unfair to compare the Complete tank (Arjun) with a Prototype (T-90M)

 

[AJSINGH]

Indian Armed forces already fielding +600 T-90S and further 1000 T-90 will be induce in IA Tank fleet, This no of T-90 is = To the Number of T-72M1 operating in IA..

Indian Army Tank fleet have 124 Arjun available right now which is too less to be included in strike force, therefore more 124 Arjuns were ordered in past ( MAX capacity of Avadi in present regarding Arjun ) in future their will be more orders to place her in strike forces..

Btw, All the links and the data is on the thread abt which is better and which is not, further discussion is useless..

i think IA is going ahead with the upgrade program of T-72 is because they cannot be speedily replaced by Arjun.

 

[Agantrope]

i think IA is going ahead with the upgrade program of T-72 is because they cannot be speedily replaced by Arjun.

You are wrong, T-72 that are produced till the period from 1990-1994 (~300 tanks) will go the upgrade phase, the older one (made in 1975s) are being retired.

 

[AJSINGH]

You are wrong, T-72 that are produced till the period from 1990-1994 (~300 tanks) will go the upgrade phase, the older one (made in 1975s) are being retired.

how am i wrong , yes i know that the ones produced between 1990-1994 are being upgraded , what i was trying to say that more Arjuns should be bought to replace T-72 which are being retired but then the productions lines can manufature only so much .

 

[san]

as much as be debate about T-90S/M or Arjun /MkII , the fact still remains that IA is going ahead with T-90 and not arjun , Arjun should replace upgraded T-72 tanks , but replacing already many T-90S and future T-90M would be foolish , i say ,retire T-72 and buy more Arjun tanks

Army is not doing this. They are buying T90 lacking several features (avaialble in market) now and for next 5-6 years while for Arjun army wants laser technology. If army wants laser technology in futur Arjun, they should ask same technology for T90s also. Most of the T72 are 30 years old and with new upgraded one also not able to run another 30 years. As for TOT, we have TOT for T72, Mig 21. But are we able do produce improved version of T72 or Mig 21? No. Even we are importing spare parts for T72 or Mig21. We produced Arjun with German/French tech and LCA with USA/French. Nowhere related with Russian tech. With TOT of T90s we are going nowhere, again after 30 years we have to import advanced version of MBT. Around 2050, India will be abl to produce almost all heavy mchine and advancd technology. All private industries, government organazation will have local made mechines probably except army, which still will buy spare parts ( ball bearing, lubricant oil, gear wheel) for T90S from some small CIS (Belarus, Kazakastan etc. ) countries as Russia will no longer produce spare for outdatd tank by 2050.

 

[Agantrope]

Army is not doing this. They are buying T90 lacking several features (avaialble in market) now and for next 5-6 years while for Arjun army wants laser technology. If army wants laser technology in futur Arjun, they should ask same technology for T90s also. Most of the T72 are 30 years old and with new upgraded one also not able to run another 30 years. As for TOT, we have TOT for T72, Mig 21. But are we able do produce improved version of T72 or Mig 21? No. Even we are importing spare parts for T72 or Mig21. We produced Arjun with German/French tech and LCA with USA/French. Nowhere related with Russian tech. With TOT of T90s we are going nowhere, again after 30 years we have to import advanced version of MBT. Around 2050, India will be abl to produce almost all heavy mchine and advancd technology. All private industries, government organazation will have local made mechines probably except army, which still will buy spare parts ( ball bearing, lubricant oil, gear wheel) for T90S from some small CIS (Belarus, Kazakastan etc. ) countries as Russia will no longer produce spare for outdatd tank by 2050.

T-90 doesnt lacks features rather the features got melted in the Thar heat. Catherine thermal image got melted in the Thar heat.

Main advantage of the arjun is its hardened electronics which can work without any air conditioning.

 

[AJSINGH]

Army is not doing this. They are buying T90 lacking several features (avaialble in market) now and for next 5-6 years while for Arjun army wants laser technology. If army wants laser technology in futur Arjun, they should ask same technology for T90s also. Most of the T72 are 30 years old and with new upgraded one also not able to run another 30 years. As for TOT, we have TOT for T72, Mig 21. But are we able do produce improved version of T72 or Mig 21? No. Even we are importing spare parts for T72 or Mig21. We produced Arjun with German/French tech and LCA with USA/French. Nowhere related with Russian tech. With TOT of T90s we are going nowhere, again after 30 years we have to import advanced version of MBT. Around 2050, India will be abl to produce almost all heavy mchine and advancd technology. All private industries, government organazation will have local made mechines probably except army, which still will buy spare parts ( ball bearing, lubricant oil, gear wheel) for T90S from some small CIS (Belarus, Kazakastan etc. ) countries as Russia will no longer produce spare for outdatd tank by 2050.

i think IA main MBT will be T-90S as you can see from the number which will be in active service ( more than 1000 T-90s in service ) . True upgraded T-72 wont go for another 30 years but for atleats 10 years they are here to stay . Kunal Biswas can tell you more about this from his previous post number 141 . As for TOT , upgrade needs research why blame russia if they have phased out T-72 or Mig21 as they are vintage ( btw the latest upgrade for Mig21 was done in Russia ) ,spares parts was our problem not russia , think of it , we have around 60+Mig29 but we did not ask for spares part TOT thinking that Soviet union is gona stay for long ,same case for IL-76.
2050 is long time my friend , as of now T-90S is here to stay and since even gun barrel tot is now with India . Btw we are importing spares of Mig21 and Mig27 series aircraft to other countries and not the other way around

 

[san]

T-90 doesnt lacks features rather the features got melted in the Thar heat. Catherine thermal image got melted in the Thar heat.

Main advantage of the arjun is its hardened electronics which can work without any air conditioning.

I think T90S doesnot have BMS, network centric warfare system, active protection system etc. Also how much accuracy of T90S gun while firing at moving codition?

 

[AJSINGH]

The Indian Army has finally commenced an ambitious project to upgrade its T-72M1 Main Battle Tanks to modern day standards. Over the past two decades, the T-72M1 has provided yeoman service to the Army. It is well liked by the Army for its ruggedness, low silhouette and weight (41.5 tons) as well as firepower (125mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm anti-air machine gun and 7.62mm co-axial). The T-72M1 is the backbone of the Indian armoured fleet, over 1700 tanks are believed to be in service. License production was undertaken at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Tamil Nadu. To keep the tank fleet viable, an upgrade plan was drawn up by the Army. But during the early 1990s, the Indian economy went through a tumultuous phase and the resulting fiscal problems forced these plans into abeyance.

Now the economy is on an upswing and the Army has hence been allocated funds to pursue this critical modernization. The tank upgrade will proceed in stages. The Indian T-72 fleet is huge and more modern tanks are also being inducted, so some T-72s are being outfitted with all the bells and whistles - the 'gold standard' so as to speak, whereas the rest will be modernised in a more modest manner. Commencement has begun by bringing 250 tanks to the DRDO's (Defence Research & Development Organisation) 'Combat Improved' Ajeya standard. (The T-72M1 has been named the Ajeya in Indian service). The 'gold standard' upgrade package includes:

"¢ A new fire control system: the Drawa-T from PCO-Cenzin of Poland. The Drawa-T is present on the Polish PT-91 tanks, their much improved variant of the T-72, and a muzzle reference system.

"¢ A thermal imager integrated with the Drawa-T fire control system, supplied by Israel's El-Op.

"¢ New radios: DRDO's and BEL's (Bharat Electronics Ltd) state-of-the-art frequency hopping combat net radio, to be manufactured by BEL.

"¢ A fibre optic gyro-based navigation system: BEL's advanced land navigation system.

"¢ Laser Warning System: Designed by DRDO, BEL and Indian Industry, to be manufactured by BEL.

The tank's stabilisation will also be upgraded - the gun control system being the responsibility of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. and/or the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. The DRDO's Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) package will also be part and parcel of the upgrade. This comprehensive suite was developed for the Arjun program and is well tested. The ERA provides enhanced protection against both chemical (HEAT) as well as kinetic attack (FSAPDS). It reduces the effect of a Milan hit by 70%. The ERA coverage also extends to the turret top, for protection against top attack anti-tank guided missiles. The DRDO's ERA has saved the Indian exchequer a considerable amount in foreign exchange. DRDO notes that imported ERA packages would cost approximately Rs.4,80,000 per tank. At present exchange rates (as of March 2004) that comes to about USD $11K per tank, a substantial amount given the number of tanks India wishes to upgrade.

A new Integrated Fire Detection & Suppression system has also found its place in the upgrade. Improvements to the tank's Nuclear Biological & Chemical protection are also included. Both these technologies were developed by DRDO via the Arjun program. India's Defense Ministry has noted that the 'Combat Improved' Ajeyas have begun rolling out of the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Tamil Nadu with transfer of technology and other improvements having taken place smoothly. To bear this increased weight, the T-72 will also receive a new power pack. Apparently, an attempt to shoehorn the T-90S' 1000 hp engine into the T-72 was unsuccessful. Several European firms have their engines on offer. Wartsila and Slovakia's Kerametal have both offered 1000 hp engine solutions to India.

However, India's most recent tank project - the Tank-Ex has been equipped with a 1000 hp engine - the T-72's 780 hp one up rated to 1000 hp. HVF Avadi and DRDO have been working on this project for some time and its selection for the Tank-Ex indicates that its development is complete. This relatively low cost option would be the best choice for the Indian tank upgrade and is probably the engine of choice. The Arjun program has served its purpose - many of its spin-offs have been applied to the T-72 upgrade. These include the armour, laser warning system, the Integrated Fire Detection & Suppression System. DRDO and BEL's work on other aspects has also borne fruit - the Combat Net Radio is the Army's choice. Apart from these, DRDO and OFB's (Ordnance Factory Board) 125mm Fin Stabilised Armour Penetrating Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) round is also a direct spin-off of the Arjun MBT program. After some initial hiccups, the production has stabilised once more - since 2001, some 130,000 rounds have been produced by OFB.

Moving Forward

The upgrade of the remaining tanks is to proceed in batches - albeit to different levels. Many tanks will receive an update to their Fire Control Systems and at the very minimum, the radios will be replaced. Interestingly, Poland's Defence Minister has recently noted that India and Poland are close to confirming a defence agreement worth $330 million. This apparently, is in addition to the initial Indo-Polish agreement, wherein Poland supplied armoured recovery vehicles, parachutes for special forces and of course, the Drawa-T FCS for the first batch of 250 T-72M1 tanks.

The Choices at Hand

The experience gained via the Arjun program has given Indian designers the confidence to upgrade the T-72M1 on their own. India has hence chosen acquired specific systems on a 'import when required' basis. For instance, India does not have a viable thermal imager of its own design and hence chose to involve El-Op in the T-72 upgrade program. In the coming days, more Arjun components and sub-systems may also find their way onto the T-72M1. Various international manufacturers have responded to the Indian Army's request for proposals. They are;

The Russians: Russia has its own T-72M1 improvement program on offer - it covers all the aspects of the Indian program, albeit with Russian made components. The ERA is a new design and is claimed to offer enhanced protection against both FSAPDS and anti-tank guided missiles. The T-72M1 will be modernized on lines of the T-90S which India already operates. For example, the new Fire Control System would permit engagements with the Refleks gun launched missile. The commander would be able to take over the engagement as well. A thermal imager would also be provided for night fighting. Two axis stabilisation, as in the T-90S, would enable fire-on-the-move capability. The Russians also have a range of ammunition on offer for the 125mm 2A46 gun. The engine would also be upgraded to 1000 hp. India could also seek to incorporate more esoteric devices - such as an anti-mine device working on the principle of electromagnetic suppression. Russian Laser Warning Systems are also available, if India were to opt for them. The Shtora EOCMDAS (Electro Optic Counter Measures Defensive Aids Suite) has been repeatedly advertised as well, but its selection is doubtful at present - given that even the Indian T-90S do not have them.

The Poles: Poland is seeking to expand its involvement in the T-72M1 upgrade program as well. Having supplied the Drawa-T FCS, it has offered to upgrade the tanks to its own PT-91 standard, with a Polish reactive armour package and laser warning receivers. PZL Wola also manufactures its own 1000 hp engine. The FCS on offer would be the Drawa-T to offer maximal commonality with India's prior purchases. Incidentally, Poland is also supplying the PT91M to Malaysia - these tanks have the even more modern French Savan 15 FCS, derived from the one on the French Leclerc MBT. Poland has also modified its 125mm FSAPDS-T rounds with a new high penetration tip, with a claimed penetration of 560mm at 2 km.

The Israelis: Israel has now emerged as one of India's biggest defence suppliers. It has supplied the thermal imagers for India's tank upgrade as well as 125mm FSAPDS ammunition for the T-72 fleet in the past. Anti-tank munitions are part and parcel of the Israeli defence establishment's product line. Israel has extensive experience in the tank upgrade arena - it has converted captured Russian-manufactured tanks into armoured personnel carriers and has constantly updated its older tanks (M-47, M-60, Centurion) to impressive standards. Israel has its own series of armour - reactive and passive, fire control systems, stabilisation systems, countermeasures - all of which are on offer for upgrade purposes. Israel manufactures its own Main Battle Tanks - the Merkava series - with the Knight Mk3 Fire Control System (on board the Merkava 3) having been repeatedly advertised for sale to India. A consortium of Israeli firms - including Israel Military Industries, Tadiran and Elbit - has put its best foot forward to compete for Project Rhino. Given attractive offers of offsets and technology transfer, they might have a winning chance. Tadiran has already supplied quite a few state of the art communication suites to the Indian Army.

The Ukrainians: Morozov of Ukraine, have also come forth with various proposals to upgrade the Indian T-72M1 fleet. Given their deep involvement with the Pakistani tank programs - Al Khalid (Norinco MBT 2000), Al Zarrar ( Type 59 upgrade) and the T-80 UD/T-84 sale - their chances of winning the Indian contract seem slim at best. That prospect has not quite dampened their spirits. Ukraine has also offered its latest laser beam riding 'combat' 125mm gun launched anti-tank missile to India. A derivative of the Russian Refleks, its heavier than the Russian round and is of similar configuration.

The Dark Horse: Then there is DRDO's Tank-Ex. More of a de novo development, rather than an upgrade - this project sees the Arjun's firepower and protection coupled with the T-72M1's low profile and agility. The Arjun's turret is integrated with the T-72M1's hull. The armour is the Kanchan and a 1000 hp power plant (an up rated 780 hp engine) is standard. An APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) is also provided. The Tank-Ex will also benefit from the Arjun-LAHAT integration. Two prototypes have been built and are to be demonstrated to the Indian Army this year. Once the trials are successful, some 300 tanks could be ordered. It has been suggested that T-72M1 hulls will be imported from Russia instead of utilising the existing T-72M1s in the Indian inventory. In that case, the Tank-Ex would be more of a new acquisition rather than part of Project Rhino.

Not Too Fast

Observers may note that the Indian Army's approach seems to be quite cautious, time intensive and somewhat limited in scope. Given sufficient funding, it seems puzzling as to why the Army is not upgrading all its T-72's at a rapid clip. There have already been considerable delays in Project Rhino to boot. The Indian economic crisis in the early 1990's saw modernisation funds dry up. In this clime, the only funds available to the Army were those for the Arjun- the DRDO had no separate budget of its own for the same. This sparked another round of time consuming debate, benefiting none, further delaying decision making and adversely impacting the Army-DRDO relationship to top it all off. Technical defects also added to the problems. HVF Avadi had primary responsibility for developing the upgraded power plant and took their own sweet time to develop the same. Even after technical defects were by and large overcome and the DRDO and the Army quickly evaluated the Drawa-T FCS and other components, the upgrade hung fire. A go slow approach was the order of the day and sundry excuses were trotted out. Earlier controversies - such as the one over the Bofors howitzer purchase were also cited as contributing factors. This as a 'quick decision' would have lead to accusations of corruption.

Such frivolity apart, the T-72 upgrade continued to be put on the backburner. The past delay has been inexcusable. Pakistan took the opportunity to beef up its armour force with T-80UDs/T-84s and continued to induct license manufactured Type 85-IIIs, eroding Indian armour superiority. China began a sustained modernisation campaign as well. On the other hand, India kept dragging its feet on re-equipping the Army. It took the Kargil War in 1999 to spark off a long overdue defence modernisation. Now, the situation has seen considerable change for the better (for instance - a fast track procurement mechanism to reduce, if not eliminate bureaucratic delay) and the Army can afford to hanker for the best deal. This is also because present inductions are adding sufficient 'punch' to Indian armoured formations. 310 T-90S tanks from Russia were ordered by the Indian Army and the induction is to be completed by 2005 (186 of the tanks are to be assembled at HVF Avadi). Thereafter, HVF Avadi will commence production of the T-90S at a rate of some 100 tanks per year. India's Defence Minister has noted that the T-90S will be the Indian Army's standard MBT and some 1000 tanks would be manufactured in India, beginning in 2006-07, apart from the present 310 tanks. Ultimately, the T-90S will make up 30% of India's tank fleet.

The Indian Army has also ordered 124 Arjun MBTs - India's own indigenous Main Battle Tank. This heavily armoured tank is to receive a further boost to its firepower - Israel's LAHAT. The T-90S fits in well with the logistical 'footprint' of the T-72M1 and is hence to be the standard MBT. At the same time, the Arjun design has come good and has won its supporters as well. But the present Army Chief General Nirmal Chander Vij, put it best when he said, "The T-90 and Arjun tanks will be our main battle tanks. Both are exceedingly good and we will like to depend on both of them." Given these inductions - both confirmed and planned - the Indian Army can afford to 'stagger' its T-72M1 upgrade. Both the T-90S and Arjun are deemed superior to the tanks Pakistan and China operate. Apart from these, low rate production of the T-72M1, has continued along the years. As a result, the Indian Army has now phased out the venerable Vijayanta MBT. The T-55 MBTs are still around but will be supplanted by the upgraded T-72M1s. The T-72M1 production will continue for another three years, as per General N C Vij.

The shortfall in overall numbers (thanks to the replacement of the Vijayantas and T-55s) are being made up by the production of the T-72M1 and the induction of the T-90S and Arjun tanks. Furthermore, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Indian Army (Corps of EME, assorted base workshops) and its allied organisations (HVF Avadi, DRDO, private suppliers, et al.) made a huge effort to indigenise the T-72M1 spares production. They have had considerable success in the same and the Army feels confident about sustaining a huge T-72M1 fleet. The manufacturers have tied up with local industry to manufacture even those components which have proven hard to indigenise in the past - such as rubber items. With Project Rhino, the T-72M1 will be all set to serve the Indian Army well into this decade and the next.

Tank-Ex is a significant development and is the second attempt (after the successful Combat Improved Ajeya /upgraded T-72M1)by the Arjun MBT developers to harness its technology spin-offs. The Tank Ex appears to be an ideal solution for upgrading the Indian Army's vast and aging T-72M1 fleet. Having undergone six months of trials in Rajasthan till now, it will presumably need many more to be fine tuned per Army requirements. However, it must be noted that the two crucial "parts" of the Tank Ex - namely the Arjun turret with its weapon system and the T-72M1 (Ajeya) platform/chassis are well tested and already certified by the Army.

General details:

Crew: 4 - commander, gunner, loader and driver.

Combat weight: The Tank -Ex at 47 tons is heavier than the T-72M1 (41 tons) and much lighter than the Arjun MBT, which tips the scales at 58.5 tons.

Power plant:The Tank-Ex has a 1000 hp power plant (as on the Combat Improved Ajeya) giving a power to weight ratio of 21 hp/ton for a weight of 47 tons. This represents an improvement over the T-72M1's 20 hp/ton with a weight of 41 tons and an 780 hp power plant.

Ground pressure: 0.94 Kgf/cm Square, marginally higher than the T-72M1's 0.90 Kgf/cm square.

Suspension: Torsion bar with hydrostruts; also an improvement over the T-72M1 torsion bar system.

Dimensions: The usage of the T-72M1 chassis gives the Tank Ex a lower silhouette than the Arjun MBT, which stands tall at 3.03 meters (over AD gun mount).

Length (gun forward): 9.19metres

Width(over tracks): 3.37metres

Height(over AD gun mount): 2.93metres

Ground clearance: 0.47metres

Armament: The Tank Ex utilizes the Arjun MBT's 120mm rifled gun firing unitary APFSDS and HESH semi combustible cartridge case ammunition. A total of 32 rounds are carried as compared to 39 in the Arjun and 45 two piece ones in the T-72.The Arjun's armament system is the most powerful one available to Indian developers today. The choice of calibre, weapon design and ammunition make it superior to the in-service 125mm 2A46 guns on the T-72M1. The Tank Ex retains the Arjun's third generation director type integrated FCS (Fire Control System) including a sophisticated digital ballistic computer. It may be noted that the Arjun FCS is an updated one(with digital components replacing the original analogue ones) as compared to the original, which faced numerous technical problems. Firepower trials validated the efficacy of the updated Arjun FCS and led to its recent acceptance by the Army. Capable of firing on the move, the Tank Ex also is fully "night ready" with the gunner having a thermal imager integrated with his main sight. A standby articulated sight is provided as backup for the main sight. The tank commander (as in the Arjun MBT) has his own fully stabilized sight with relevant controls for surveillance, target acquisition and engagement, giving excellent hunter-killer ability. The gun control system is electro-hydraulic. Gun elevation/depression is +16.5 deg/-10 deg , better than the T-72M1's + 14 deg/-6 deg. As in the Arjun MBT and the T-72M1, a co-axial 7.62mm PKT machine gun and a 12.7mm NVST Heavy Machine gun(air defense) are standard. The tank also incorporates an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to operate the weapons systems in silent watch mode.

Navigational aids: A global positioning system is provided for accurate navigation. This is a feature common to both the Arjun MBT as well as the Combat Improved Ajeya .

Protection: The Tank Ex utilizes the state of the Art composite armor-"kanchan"-especially over its frontal arc(Turret as well as glacis) giving excellent protection against both Kinetic and Chemical rounds. The usage of the Arjun turret design indicates that the Tank-Ex may also have its "ready" ammunition stored in the bustle (as in the Arjun),separated from the crew and provided with blow off panels. This would be a significant protective feature in line with "western" design practices. Kanchan is an extensively tested and successful armor, which is available for retrofit to other IFV programs. The Tank Ex also has fully integrated Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection The usual turret mounted 81mm antithermal smoke grenade launchers are also standard on the Tank-Ex.

Performance and Obstacle Negotiation: The Tank Ex retains the T-72 attributes of speed and agility with a maximum speed of 60 km/hr (on road) and 40 km/hr (cross country).While the gradient climbing at 30 degrees it remains in line with all variants of the T-72 like the B(M). The Tank Ex is better at trench crossing.(2.6 metres as compared to the T-72M1's 2.28 meters).Vertical Obstacles 0.85 metres tall can be surmounted, same as the T-72M1.Shallow fording is quoted as 1.2 metres.

 

[AJSINGH]

The Indian Army has finally commenced an ambitious project to upgrade its T-72M1 Main Battle Tanks to modern day standards. Over the past two decades, the T-72M1 has provided yeoman service to the Army. It is well liked by the Army for its ruggedness, low silhouette and weight (41.5 tons) as well as firepower (125mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun, 12.7mm anti-air machine gun and 7.62mm co-axial). The T-72M1 is the backbone of the Indian armoured fleet, over 1700 tanks are believed to be in service. License production was undertaken at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Tamil Nadu. To keep the tank fleet viable, an upgrade plan was drawn up by the Army. But during the early 1990s, the Indian economy went through a tumultuous phase and the resulting fiscal problems forced these plans into abeyance.

Now the economy is on an upswing and the Army has hence been allocated funds to pursue this critical modernization. The tank upgrade will proceed in stages. The Indian T-72 fleet is huge and more modern tanks are also being inducted, so some T-72s are being outfitted with all the bells and whistles - the 'gold standard' so as to speak, whereas the rest will be modernised in a more modest manner. Commencement has begun by bringing 250 tanks to the DRDO's (Defence Research & Development Organisation) 'Combat Improved' Ajeya standard. (The T-72M1 has been named the Ajeya in Indian service). The 'gold standard' upgrade package includes:

"¢ A new fire control system: the Drawa-T from PCO-Cenzin of Poland. The Drawa-T is present on the Polish PT-91 tanks, their much improved variant of the T-72, and a muzzle reference system.

"¢ A thermal imager integrated with the Drawa-T fire control system, supplied by Israel's El-Op.

"¢ New radios: DRDO's and BEL's (Bharat Electronics Ltd) state-of-the-art frequency hopping combat net radio, to be manufactured by BEL.

"¢ A fibre optic gyro-based navigation system: BEL's advanced land navigation system.

"¢ Laser Warning System: Designed by DRDO, BEL and Indian Industry, to be manufactured by BEL.

The tank's stabilisation will also be upgraded - the gun control system being the responsibility of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. and/or the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. The DRDO's Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) package will also be part and parcel of the upgrade. This comprehensive suite was developed for the Arjun program and is well tested. The ERA provides enhanced protection against both chemical (HEAT) as well as kinetic attack (FSAPDS). It reduces the effect of a Milan hit by 70%. The ERA coverage also extends to the turret top, for protection against top attack anti-tank guided missiles. The DRDO's ERA has saved the Indian exchequer a considerable amount in foreign exchange. DRDO notes that imported ERA packages would cost approximately Rs.4,80,000 per tank. At present exchange rates (as of March 2004) that comes to about USD $11K per tank, a substantial amount given the number of tanks India wishes to upgrade.

A new Integrated Fire Detection & Suppression system has also found its place in the upgrade. Improvements to the tank's Nuclear Biological & Chemical protection are also included. Both these technologies were developed by DRDO via the Arjun program. India's Defense Ministry has noted that the 'Combat Improved' Ajeyas have begun rolling out of the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi, Tamil Nadu with transfer of technology and other improvements having taken place smoothly. To bear this increased weight, the T-72 will also receive a new power pack. Apparently, an attempt to shoehorn the T-90S' 1000 hp engine into the T-72 was unsuccessful. Several European firms have their engines on offer. Wartsila and Slovakia's Kerametal have both offered 1000 hp engine solutions to India.

However, India's most recent tank project - the Tank-Ex has been equipped with a 1000 hp engine - the T-72's 780 hp one up rated to 1000 hp. HVF Avadi and DRDO have been working on this project for some time and its selection for the Tank-Ex indicates that its development is complete. This relatively low cost option would be the best choice for the Indian tank upgrade and is probably the engine of choice. The Arjun program has served its purpose - many of its spin-offs have been applied to the T-72 upgrade. These include the armour, laser warning system, the Integrated Fire Detection & Suppression System. DRDO and BEL's work on other aspects has also borne fruit - the Combat Net Radio is the Army's choice. Apart from these, DRDO and OFB's (Ordnance Factory Board) 125mm Fin Stabilised Armour Penetrating Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) round is also a direct spin-off of the Arjun MBT program. After some initial hiccups, the production has stabilised once more - since 2001, some 130,000 rounds have been produced by OFB.

Moving Forward

The upgrade of the remaining tanks is to proceed in batches - albeit to different levels. Many tanks will receive an update to their Fire Control Systems and at the very minimum, the radios will be replaced. Interestingly, Poland's Defence Minister has recently noted that India and Poland are close to confirming a defence agreement worth $330 million. This apparently, is in addition to the initial Indo-Polish agreement, wherein Poland supplied armoured recovery vehicles, parachutes for special forces and of course, the Drawa-T FCS for the first batch of 250 T-72M1 tanks.

The Choices at Hand

The experience gained via the Arjun program has given Indian designers the confidence to upgrade the T-72M1 on their own. India has hence chosen acquired specific systems on a 'import when required' basis. For instance, India does not have a viable thermal imager of its own design and hence chose to involve El-Op in the T-72 upgrade program. In the coming days, more Arjun components and sub-systems may also find their way onto the T-72M1. Various international manufacturers have responded to the Indian Army's request for proposals. They are;

The Russians: Russia has its own T-72M1 improvement program on offer - it covers all the aspects of the Indian program, albeit with Russian made components. The ERA is a new design and is claimed to offer enhanced protection against both FSAPDS and anti-tank guided missiles. The T-72M1 will be modernized on lines of the T-90S which India already operates. For example, the new Fire Control System would permit engagements with the Refleks gun launched missile. The commander would be able to take over the engagement as well. A thermal imager would also be provided for night fighting. Two axis stabilisation, as in the T-90S, would enable fire-on-the-move capability. The Russians also have a range of ammunition on offer for the 125mm 2A46 gun. The engine would also be upgraded to 1000 hp. India could also seek to incorporate more esoteric devices - such as an anti-mine device working on the principle of electromagnetic suppression. Russian Laser Warning Systems are also available, if India were to opt for them. The Shtora EOCMDAS (Electro Optic Counter Measures Defensive Aids Suite) has been repeatedly advertised as well, but its selection is doubtful at present - given that even the Indian T-90S do not have them.

The Poles: Poland is seeking to expand its involvement in the T-72M1 upgrade program as well. Having supplied the Drawa-T FCS, it has offered to upgrade the tanks to its own PT-91 standard, with a Polish reactive armour package and laser warning receivers. PZL Wola also manufactures its own 1000 hp engine. The FCS on offer would be the Drawa-T to offer maximal commonality with India's prior purchases. Incidentally, Poland is also supplying the PT91M to Malaysia - these tanks have the even more modern French Savan 15 FCS, derived from the one on the French Leclerc MBT. Poland has also modified its 125mm FSAPDS-T rounds with a new high penetration tip, with a claimed penetration of 560mm at 2 km.

The Israelis: Israel has now emerged as one of India's biggest defence suppliers. It has supplied the thermal imagers for India's tank upgrade as well as 125mm FSAPDS ammunition for the T-72 fleet in the past. Anti-tank munitions are part and parcel of the Israeli defence establishment's product line. Israel has extensive experience in the tank upgrade arena - it has converted captured Russian-manufactured tanks into armoured personnel carriers and has constantly updated its older tanks (M-47, M-60, Centurion) to impressive standards. Israel has its own series of armour - reactive and passive, fire control systems, stabilisation systems, countermeasures - all of which are on offer for upgrade purposes. Israel manufactures its own Main Battle Tanks - the Merkava series - with the Knight Mk3 Fire Control System (on board the Merkava 3) having been repeatedly advertised for sale to India. A consortium of Israeli firms - including Israel Military Industries, Tadiran and Elbit - has put its best foot forward to compete for Project Rhino. Given attractive offers of offsets and technology transfer, they might have a winning chance. Tadiran has already supplied quite a few state of the art communication suites to the Indian Army.

The Ukrainians: Morozov of Ukraine, have also come forth with various proposals to upgrade the Indian T-72M1 fleet. Given their deep involvement with the Pakistani tank programs - Al Khalid (Norinco MBT 2000), Al Zarrar ( Type 59 upgrade) and the T-80 UD/T-84 sale - their chances of winning the Indian contract seem slim at best. That prospect has not quite dampened their spirits. Ukraine has also offered its latest laser beam riding 'combat' 125mm gun launched anti-tank missile to India. A derivative of the Russian Refleks, its heavier than the Russian round and is of similar configuration.

The Dark Horse: Then there is DRDO's Tank-Ex. More of a de novo development, rather than an upgrade - this project sees the Arjun's firepower and protection coupled with the T-72M1's low profile and agility. The Arjun's turret is integrated with the T-72M1's hull. The armour is the Kanchan and a 1000 hp power plant (an up rated 780 hp engine) is standard. An APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) is also provided. The Tank-Ex will also benefit from the Arjun-LAHAT integration. Two prototypes have been built and are to be demonstrated to the Indian Army this year. Once the trials are successful, some 300 tanks could be ordered. It has been suggested that T-72M1 hulls will be imported from Russia instead of utilising the existing T-72M1s in the Indian inventory. In that case, the Tank-Ex would be more of a new acquisition rather than part of Project Rhino.

Not Too Fast

Observers may note that the Indian Army's approach seems to be quite cautious, time intensive and somewhat limited in scope. Given sufficient funding, it seems puzzling as to why the Army is not upgrading all its T-72's at a rapid clip. There have already been considerable delays in Project Rhino to boot. The Indian economic crisis in the early 1990's saw modernisation funds dry up. In this clime, the only funds available to the Army were those for the Arjun- the DRDO had no separate budget of its own for the same. This sparked another round of time consuming debate, benefiting none, further delaying decision making and adversely impacting the Army-DRDO relationship to top it all off. Technical defects also added to the problems. HVF Avadi had primary responsibility for developing the upgraded power plant and took their own sweet time to develop the same. Even after technical defects were by and large overcome and the DRDO and the Army quickly evaluated the Drawa-T FCS and other components, the upgrade hung fire. A go slow approach was the order of the day and sundry excuses were trotted out. Earlier controversies - such as the one over the Bofors howitzer purchase were also cited as contributing factors. This as a 'quick decision' would have lead to accusations of corruption.

Such frivolity apart, the T-72 upgrade continued to be put on the backburner. The past delay has been inexcusable. Pakistan took the opportunity to beef up its armour force with T-80UDs/T-84s and continued to induct license manufactured Type 85-IIIs, eroding Indian armour superiority. China began a sustained modernisation campaign as well. On the other hand, India kept dragging its feet on re-equipping the Army. It took the Kargil War in 1999 to spark off a long overdue defence modernisation. Now, the situation has seen considerable change for the better (for instance - a fast track procurement mechanism to reduce, if not eliminate bureaucratic delay) and the Army can afford to hanker for the best deal. This is also because present inductions are adding sufficient 'punch' to Indian armoured formations. 310 T-90S tanks from Russia were ordered by the Indian Army and the induction is to be completed by 2005 (186 of the tanks are to be assembled at HVF Avadi). Thereafter, HVF Avadi will commence production of the T-90S at a rate of some 100 tanks per year. India's Defence Minister has noted that the T-90S will be the Indian Army's standard MBT and some 1000 tanks would be manufactured in India, beginning in 2006-07, apart from the present 310 tanks. Ultimately, the T-90S will make up 30% of India's tank fleet.

The Indian Army has also ordered 124 Arjun MBTs - India's own indigenous Main Battle Tank. This heavily armoured tank is to receive a further boost to its firepower - Israel's LAHAT. The T-90S fits in well with the logistical 'footprint' of the T-72M1 and is hence to be the standard MBT. At the same time, the Arjun design has come good and has won its supporters as well. But the present Army Chief General Nirmal Chander Vij, put it best when he said, "The T-90 and Arjun tanks will be our main battle tanks. Both are exceedingly good and we will like to depend on both of them." Given these inductions - both confirmed and planned - the Indian Army can afford to 'stagger' its T-72M1 upgrade. Both the T-90S and Arjun are deemed superior to the tanks Pakistan and China operate. Apart from these, low rate production of the T-72M1, has continued along the years. As a result, the Indian Army has now phased out the venerable Vijayanta MBT. The T-55 MBTs are still around but will be supplanted by the upgraded T-72M1s. The T-72M1 production will continue for another three years, as per General N C Vij.

The shortfall in overall numbers (thanks to the replacement of the Vijayantas and T-55s) are being made up by the production of the T-72M1 and the induction of the T-90S and Arjun tanks. Furthermore, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Indian Army (Corps of EME, assorted base workshops) and its allied organisations (HVF Avadi, DRDO, private suppliers, et al.) made a huge effort to indigenise the T-72M1 spares production. They have had considerable success in the same and the Army feels confident about sustaining a huge T-72M1 fleet. The manufacturers have tied up with local industry to manufacture even those components which have proven hard to indigenise in the past - such as rubber items. With Project Rhino, the T-72M1 will be all set to serve the Indian Army well into this decade and the next.

Tank-Ex is a significant development and is the second attempt (after the successful Combat Improved Ajeya /upgraded T-72M1)by the Arjun MBT developers to harness its technology spin-offs. The Tank Ex appears to be an ideal solution for upgrading the Indian Army's vast and aging T-72M1 fleet. Having undergone six months of trials in Rajasthan till now, it will presumably need many more to be fine tuned per Army requirements. However, it must be noted that the two crucial "parts" of the Tank Ex - namely the Arjun turret with its weapon system and the T-72M1 (Ajeya) platform/chassis are well tested and already certified by the Army.

General details:

Crew: 4 - commander, gunner, loader and driver.

Combat weight: The Tank -Ex at 47 tons is heavier than the T-72M1 (41 tons) and much lighter than the Arjun MBT, which tips the scales at 58.5 tons.

Power plant:The Tank-Ex has a 1000 hp power plant (as on the Combat Improved Ajeya) giving a power to weight ratio of 21 hp/ton for a weight of 47 tons. This represents an improvement over the T-72M1's 20 hp/ton with a weight of 41 tons and an 780 hp power plant.

Ground pressure: 0.94 Kgf/cm Square, marginally higher than the T-72M1's 0.90 Kgf/cm square.

Suspension: Torsion bar with hydrostruts; also an improvement over the T-72M1 torsion bar system.

Dimensions: The usage of the T-72M1 chassis gives the Tank Ex a lower silhouette than the Arjun MBT, which stands tall at 3.03 meters (over AD gun mount).

Length (gun forward): 9.19metres

Width(over tracks): 3.37metres

Height(over AD gun mount): 2.93metres

Ground clearance: 0.47metres

Armament: The Tank Ex utilizes the Arjun MBT's 120mm rifled gun firing unitary APFSDS and HESH semi combustible cartridge case ammunition. A total of 32 rounds are carried as compared to 39 in the Arjun and 45 two piece ones in the T-72.The Arjun's armament system is the most powerful one available to Indian developers today. The choice of calibre, weapon design and ammunition make it superior to the in-service 125mm 2A46 guns on the T-72M1. The Tank Ex retains the Arjun's third generation director type integrated FCS (Fire Control System) including a sophisticated digital ballistic computer. It may be noted that the Arjun FCS is an updated one(with digital components replacing the original analogue ones) as compared to the original, which faced numerous technical problems. Firepower trials validated the efficacy of the updated Arjun FCS and led to its recent acceptance by the Army. Capable of firing on the move, the Tank Ex also is fully "night ready" with the gunner having a thermal imager integrated with his main sight. A standby articulated sight is provided as backup for the main sight. The tank commander (as in the Arjun MBT) has his own fully stabilized sight with relevant controls for surveillance, target acquisition and engagement, giving excellent hunter-killer ability. The gun control system is electro-hydraulic. Gun elevation/depression is +16.5 deg/-10 deg , better than the T-72M1's + 14 deg/-6 deg. As in the Arjun MBT and the T-72M1, a co-axial 7.62mm PKT machine gun and a 12.7mm NVST Heavy Machine gun(air defense) are standard. The tank also incorporates an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to operate the weapons systems in silent watch mode.

Navigational aids: A global positioning system is provided for accurate navigation. This is a feature common to both the Arjun MBT as well as the Combat Improved Ajeya .

Protection: The Tank Ex utilizes the state of the Art composite armor-"kanchan"-especially over its frontal arc(Turret as well as glacis) giving excellent protection against both Kinetic and Chemical rounds. The usage of the Arjun turret design indicates that the Tank-Ex may also have its "ready" ammunition stored in the bustle (as in the Arjun),separated from the crew and provided with blow off panels. This would be a significant protective feature in line with "western" design practices. Kanchan is an extensively tested and successful armor, which is available for retrofit to other IFV programs. The Tank Ex also has fully integrated Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection The usual turret mounted 81mm antithermal smoke grenade launchers are also standard on the Tank-Ex.

Performance and Obstacle Negotiation: The Tank Ex retains the T-72 attributes of speed and agility with a maximum speed of 60 km/hr (on road) and 40 km/hr (cross country).While the gradient climbing at 30 degrees it remains in line with all variants of the T-72 like the B(M). The Tank Ex is better at trench crossing.(2.6 metres as compared to the T-72M1's 2.28 meters).Vertical Obstacles 0.85 metres tall can be surmounted, same as the T-72M1.Shallow fording is quoted as 1.2 metres.

 

[AJSINGH]

The Army proposes to upgrade more than 1,400 T-72 tanks for more than $1.5 billion. The upgrade will include a new fire control system, a thermal imager, new radios, a fiber-optic gyro-based navigation system and a laser warning system. Improvements also will be made to the tank's nuclear, biological and chemical protection.

 

[san]

i think IA main MBT will be T-90S as you can see from the number which will be in active service ( more than 1000 T-90s in service ) . True upgraded T-72 wont go for another 30 years but for atleats 10 years they are here to stay . Kunal Biswas can tell you more about this from his previous post number 141 . As for TOT , upgrade needs research why blame russia if they have phased out T-72 or Mig21 as they are vintage ( btw the latest upgrade for Mig21 was done in Russia ) ,spares parts was our problem not russia , think of it , we have around 60+Mig29 but we did not ask for spares part TOT thinking that Soviet union is gona stay for long ,same case for IL-76.
2050 is long time my friend , as of now T-90S is here to stay and since even gun barrel tot is now with India . Btw we are importing spares of Mig21 and Mig27 series aircraft to other countries and not the other way around

All are our problems because we believe in import and we have lack of vision. We all believe in 1980s that by 2015, our army will have 70% own hardware . Now 2010, still we are buying MBT from Russia while Pak is manufacturing their own Al-Khalid (What ever case the name is pakistani) and trying to export. One of the major cause of Mig 21 accidents during early 2010s is buying old Mig 21 spare stocks eastern europe countries. So yes, we were importing spare parts for Mig 21 untill few years back not sure about now

 

[AJSINGH]

All are our problems because we believe in import and we have lack of vision. We all believe in 1980s that by 2015, our army will have 70% own hardware . Now 2010, still we are buying MBT from Russia while Pak is manufacturing their own Al-Khalid (What ever case the name is pakistani) and trying to export. One of the major cause of Mig 21 accidents during early 2010s is buying old Mig 21 spare stocks eastern europe countries. So yes, we were importing spare parts for Mig 21 untill few years back not sure about now

Al-Khalid aint that good a tank , btw the Mig21 you are taking about are the old type 71 and Type 66 which have crashed and not the new Mig21 Bison .

 

[san]

Al-Khalid aint that good a tank , btw the Mig21 you are taking about are the old type 71 and Type 66 which have crashed and not the new Mig21 Bison .

How can you know it is not good. See its spec same with T90S. It has almost everything that T90S has. About Migs, I have mentioned it that even with TOT, still we have to rely on original manufacture for spare parts and we ourself not able to produce advanced version of that hardware

 

[Kunal Biswas]

1. Good point not to mention the additional cost of logistics
2. and time it takes to move a 58ton tank
3. when most of the sensitive borders in india is in high altitutes or in urban environments
4. where size does not count for any thing as they cannot move in narrow spaces DRDo should just forget bout arjun and concentrate on developing tech. for mk2

1. Special carriages are worth enough to have, Not only for Arjuns but for Future tanks and hardwares..

2. Arjun is transported by the same vehicle that transport T-72/90 ( TATRA 8X8 ), Existing tatras can easily pull Arjuns, Railways got its nox of carriages to transport Arjuns anywhere possible, .
http://mod.nic.in/samachar/july1-06/h5.htm
july1-06

3. a. No T-tanks operating in high altitude, Thats the reason IA issued RFI for +300 light tanks,
b. Indian Army dont use Tanks in urban environments, Some tanks did operate in urban situation in Srilanka but usually we use tanks outside the hostile city or town..

4. Both T-90 and Arjun have almost same size..

Arjun
Width:- 3.864 m
Length:- 10.638 m
Height:- 2.32m

T-90s
Width:- 3.78 m
Length:-9.53 m
Height:-2.22 m

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The Army proposes to upgrade more than 1,400 T-72 tanks for more than $1.5 billion. The upgrade will include a new fire control system, a thermal imager, new radios, a fiber-optic gyro-based navigation system and a laser warning system. Improvements also will be made to the tank's nuclear, biological and chemical protection.

i think IA is going ahead with the upgrade program of T-72 is because they cannot be speedily replaced by Arjun.

Its not abt replacement but for battle reediness of T-72, As the current ones are outdated.
As still T-72 is primary MBT of India..