SITTING DUCK... ARJUN THE BATTLE TANK

                             SITTING DUCKS  ...ARJUN THE BATTLE TANK                       

                  Prof Dr Colonel ( Retired) K Prabhakar Rao

               The development of Main Battle Tank (MBT) for Indian armored Corps by Indian scientists was taken up by CVRDE at Madras ( Now Chennai) that is a part of DRDO. Way back in seventies, the project MBT 80 was taken up. Guys were trying to develop own engine for the future MBT, the inevitable sitting duck. In those days, there was a craze for Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) Diesel Engine, popular in American usage and Tank development. In this design, the compression ratio could be changed while the engine was running by pumping high pressure oil into piston that was made of two sliding parts, one within other. Once the fluid is forced in to the chamber, upper sliding piston moves up and gets locked and reduces the clearance volume and there by increases compression ratio. However the sealing and other allied arrangements should be sophisticated and Indian expertise in those days was definitely debatable and to be precise was utterly lacking. After struggling for much of the time at Madras by the Research organization of Govt India, I think they came out with a model proto type probably in 1970 aimed to produce 1500 BHP. This engine could just produce power that was just sufficient to keep it moving by itself overcoming its internal friction. I am sure the engine would have struggled and stopped if the fly wheel was touched with the hand (Meaning an additional light load). Rest of the balance power probably was interpolated and predicted using various performance curves and claimed that it would produce (bla…bla…bla…). There was no actual power development and brake power testing to the required power. It was the theoretical prediction. The seals in piston gave serious trouble. The Project died its own death and God saved India.   I am sure the project of the beleaguered design was abandoned. My question is, “Why try to design some thing that is beyond one’s capability?” In India, for some crazy guys there are many fancies. The right types of people are invariably not there at right places. You always have wrong people in important places sporting ranks and heavy brass on shoulders. Many are round pegs in square holes or vive versa. Guys by virtue of military rank and with clout land up in DRDO although many could be clueless about even simple calculus. Forget about research potential in such men. Some could hardly read professional machine production drawings. They always needed a technical expert with them although they claimed to be the experts too. The guys who have not even designed and produced a small scooter or moped engine on their own in DRDO suddenly bragged that they could produce any thing that America had produced. The result was an inevitable great fiasco. The MBT Project has eaten away decades of time, Millions of rupees of Tax payer ( who is accountable for this  drama and loss of money and face too ?). Many guys have procured promotions to senior ranks without producing something useful to the nation and taking the country on wild goose chase. MBT project itself was a joke on the nation. Then the DRDO team went to assemble some thing by ready made imported engine (after burning fingers with VCR engine), Gear box and Transmission assembly. Where is the research now? Is it not like a road roller fabricated on the road side at old Delhi right next to  Jama Maszid on the foot path with  a  second hand  Perkins P 6 engine and a clash mesh truck gear box? The Hull of the MBTof course was luckily made by the Indians (Some grace atleast left). I am sure the crafts men of Batala or Ludhiana or Jama Maszid in Delhi could have produced the hulls in much less time than what we have seen. They do not have  high  flown degrees. At last the sitting duck (Australian extinct bird DODO) Arjun was produced. The only difference was that the road rollers fabricated by the Delhi mechanics did a good ( rather excellent) job at construction sites while Arjun Tanks stayed happily in garages. There were no field trials in winter or summer for these road rollers. They simply worked. Some of these tanks also rolled down the prestigious Raj path on Republic day parades much to the worries of the guys. Many kept fingers crossed and prayed to the Gods (Although many people in Madras factory do not believe in Gods, because many belong to DMK party) that the steel tracks remained intact for the day and should not snap enroute. Or else, the tank would have rolled for some distance and stayed on the flat track lying in the ground right on Ra path. It would have been be a Donald duck. I am sure the day was seen through. The Arjun tank   has become a heavy, over fed, bulky matron with much sagging supported breasts, unable to lumber along. I am happy that it is moving on its own at least and some one is not pulling it from place to place by a tow bar. Once there was great craze for heavy tanks and super heavy tanks too that weighed 50-58 Tons and more. Even in WW II, some such tanks were manufactured. The Centurion Tanks weighing 50 tonnes that dominated Indian war with Pakistan in 1965 made a quick work of Pak armor. Even WW II Sherman mediumTanks with their 75 mm short length guns (cannons) made clean holes in Patton Tanks of Pakistan and knocked them out lock stock and barrel. Fundamentally, it is man behind the machine than the machine itself. The armor battles of 1965 proved that over advanced gadgetry will be useless if the man behind the machine lacks guts and capabilities. Of course, this is a forgotten story belonging to bye gone era. Many old veterans must have gone into the ground or sky unsung and unheard without recording their experiences. They must be turning in the graves. 1971 saw the Russian armor T 55 making the frontal attacks on Pak armor at many places including Chamb sector and even Pakistan used similar equipment T 55 and T 54 and Chaffee light Tanks having become wise now and fights were no doubt bitter. They were all medium tanks well with in 36 Tons or so. Our own Indian made Vijayanta Tank at Avadi a copy version of British Vickers restricted itself to probably support roles in mopping up poor infantry guys left to their fate by Pakistanis. These much beleaguered Indian Tanks at last are out now without fighting any tank battles except at the safe ranges where they must have fired in all safety while the senior ranks watched gulping beer under canopy. These tanks have also taken away peace from the army guys while many officers probably have lost promotions too struggling with these metal boxes with problematic Leyland opposed piston L 60 engines.
                        Arjun tank basically is a very heavy tank that needs a very powerful engine to give it a proper power to weight ratio and also the size has to be very large particularly the width and track size to give it a proper ground pressure and distribution of weight. Or else, it will sink into ground. This is the main reason for the large  size where it has to give a wide contact area on ground. When the tank is very big it presents a good and beautiful inviting target to the enemy who waits at distance in hiding. The bulk also does not permit quick change of position although it might have neutral turn facility which even other tanks have except some old WW II models. Tank commanders as a principle avoid projecting sides of the tanks   that is weaker in armor thickness to the enemy tanks. Tanks have to be protected from Recoilless guns or even Rocket launchers as much as possible. The speed has to be sufficient particularly with respect to acceleration along with the lumbering weight to get away from the risky position. Arjun Tank in all probabilities can not change its position easily and would become an easy target to all sorts of enemy weapons. . Even 106 RCL ammunition makes a quick work of it when mounted in Jeeps that are much faster for firing at side armor and they get away fast.

                   The very fact that Arjun Tank has not been introduced in into regiments is the indication of lack of confidence in its capabilities and reliability as a mobile weapon platform. It also would meet the inevitable doom very soon. The DRDO has taken such large time to make it a worthy machine and the world has raced away while it lagged. Much progressive machines and weapons of destruction have already come out in other countries while  we are struggling with this antic tank. The need of the hour is a fast moving medium tank with a powerful and sure gun than a laboring and lumbering dead weight like Arjun tank that would be a liability. Some of the  armoured corps experts who claim themselves to be the all knowing masters of the subject of tank warfare may not  subscribe to the view. It is their wish to be happy under a lid. Such large tank also requires large amount of fuel to be carried for support. No doubt the civilian researchers and Army guys wielding brass on shoulders too must have made fortune and careers in these projects. Many would have become Generals, Brigadiers with AVSM and PVSM awards with bars and sticks for distinguished service while their product Arjun has become a great liability to the nation. It is very sad that it carries the name of the erstwhile valiant Pandava prince Arjuna who spelt doom to Kauravas. The guys in DRDO had cool time with the project and got faster and sure promotions   with many air trips to Delhi and other places. Many must have visited foreign countries on study tours too. There is a need to carry out post mortem of this project. I do not know whether CAG has commented on thee projects. But who cares for CAG reports. These are set aside and thrown in dust bin. It is not like a normal defense audit in regular army where people are suspended by hook for small audit objections in local purchases and some loose promotion boards too. God bless the Arjun tank that soon is sure to go to the tank graveyard. The real warrior prince Arjuna destroyed Kaurava army with his bow Gandiva amply aided by Krishna and Bheema before he ascended to heavens. But sadly our Arjun sporting such great name  would go to grave yard without tasting the blood of our enemies and firing single shot at least at enemy bunkers if not at enemy tanks. God bless poor Indians who are taken on rough camel ride all these years.

Bookmark/Search this post with: