Arjun Mark II tank final trials scheduled for August

New Delhi: The advanced version of the indigenous Arjun Mark II main battle tank would go for final trials in the first week of August in the Mahajan ranges of Rajasthan where its missile-firing capabilities and other upgrades would be put to test by the Army.

The final trials of the updated version of the Arjun tank would be tested in the desert conditions in Mahajan field ranges in Rajasthan, Army sources said in New Delhi.

MBT Arjun MK-1 tank. Image courtesy PIB

The Army had asked for 93 improvements to the tank which include the capability of firing the anti-tank LAHAT missile, laser protection suite and improved armoured protection for the vehicle, they said.

After the trials are completed successfully, the tank would be ready for induction into the force by the beginning of next year.

Army officials said of the 124 Arjuns ordered by the force, 120 have been inducted and are part of armoured regiments deployed in the borders with Pakistan.

The Army had asked the DRDO to carry out further upgrades on the next order of another 124 tanks which will be named as Arjun MkII.

The second order for 124 tanks was placed by the Army after comparative trials between the Arjun and the Russian-origin T-90 tanks in the Pokhran testing range couple of years ago.

As per DRDO, Arjun Mark II can fire missiles, has advanced Explosive Reactive Armour panels, mine plough, Automatic Target Tracking, Advanced Land Navigation System, digital control harness and advanced commander panoramic sight among other features.

Arjun will have a better gun barrel with an Equivalent Firing Charge (strength of the barrel to sustain firing) of 500 rounds against the T 72's 250 rounds.

The Chennai-based Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment has designed the Mark II version of MBT at its facility there.

PTI