Drdo Bags Rs 1200cr Deal To Upgrade Russian Tank

The defence ministry has awarded a Rs 1200 crore contract for upgrading 900 Russian made T-72 M1 tanks to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This is the first time a major foreign armament will be upgraded completely indigenously.

The contract was won against stiff competition from public sector Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and companies from the UK, South Africa, France and Slovakia.

In a sense, the defence ministry has kept the contract with itself as the DRDO is a department of the ministry. However, DRDO sources said this was not so as the deal was won on superior technical parameters.

 

The T-72 M1 is the front-line tank of the Indian armys cavalry regiment and was acquired from Russia over a period of ten years under a licenced manufacturing deal.

The upgradation contract, to be completed over a five year period, provides for improvements to the gun, a new fire control system and a gun control system. Night fighting capabilities will be provided and the tank will carry short range anti-aircraft missiles. The power of the engine will be increased by about 20 per cent at a later stage, after the DRDO perfects a turbocharger to the existing Russian made engine.

Most of the technology has been derived from the DRDOs ongoing work on the Arjun main battle tank. Technology for key sub-systems like the gun and fire control systems was imported but later adapted for Indian conditions in the Arjun tank. The improvements will be carried out by the DRDOs combat vehicle research and development establishment (CVRDE).

The defence ministry had been negotiating with foreign companies which include Denel of South Africa, Dubrica of Slovakia, GAIT, France and VSEL Armaments, UK for the last three years. Extensive trials of their systems have been held in India.

A representative of one of the foreign companies said the Indian government had not officially announced the results of their bids and he had no knowledge of the DRDO bagging the deal. His companys fire control system had proved itself in field trials and he would indeed be surprised if it was rejected, he said.

The upgraded T-72 tanks should serve for at least 10 years before they are replaced by the more efficient Arjun tanks which has entered a limited series production stage.

The army also wants its 500 Vijyanta tanks and 600 T-55 tanks upgraded but has not set any timeframe.