Arjun Production Program
Pakistan's announcement in 1995 of a deal with Ukraine to purchase T-84s caused a flurry of activity in the Indian tank development community. And on 9 January 1996, the Arjun was formally unveiled and cleared for mass production. Further improvements were deemed necessary even after the Arjun design profile was accepted again in July 1996. On 27 August 1996, the Defense Production and Supplies Secretary ordered 15 pre-production tanks from the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi (at which point, estimates placed the project cost at $112 million).
As of mid-2000 India planned to acquire T-90 tanks, based on field trials which had already been completed. Although orders had been placed for the supply of 124 Arjun tanks through the Defence Research Development Organisation, it would be difficult to predict when these orders would be fufilled. Until such time, T-90 tanks would serve to counter Pakistan's T-85 tanks.
The first 120 tanks to be built would cost $4.2 million each, while other cost estimates places the figure at $5.6 million each per tank by 2001, given a purchase of 124 tanks to equip two regiments. Production of the first batch of tanks might take more than the planned five years, given the capacity at the Avadi factory.
The main battle tank Arjun was productionised in 2004. The first production batch of five indigenously manufactured Main Battle Tank Arjun rolled out of the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi, Tamil Nadu on August 7, 2004. In September 2004 Chief of Army Staff, Gen NC Vij said that the rolling out of Arjun marked a big step towards reducing Army's dependence on imports. However, he remarked that the new tank had to prove its worthiness in the subsequent trials. The General also called for expediting the process of production and said that he would be happy if the HVF rolled out 50 tanks every year.
Out of 124 ordered for tanks by the users, only 15 tanks have been produced by the Heavy Vehicle Factory, Avadi as of April 2008. At that time the second batch of 15 tanks was in the final stage of completion. Cumulative 69 tanks were under various stages of assembly and integration. In the four years up to February 2009, over 90 Arjun main battle tanks had rolled off the production line. The delivery schedule for all the 124 tanks in March 2009 was stipulated.
Total requirement of the Army is about 3500 Tanks. Army has placed an indent the manufacture 124 MBT Arjun and Arjun assembly has started functioning. With the available and the newly created infrastructure at HVF and OFMK, the OFB was geared up for the speedy production of Arjun tanks. The Factory would produce 50 Arjun Tanks per year from the year 2009 onwards subject to continuous requirement of the user.
In January 2009 plans were announced for the Indian Army to conduct 'comparative trials' in June 2009 of the indigenous Arjun and the Russian-built T-90 tank. The Army had decided to buy no more than the 124 Arjuns under contract because it is unhappy with the tank. DRDO says Arjun has a greater power-to-weight ratio, a hydro-pneumatic suspension system for a more comfortable ride, a stable platform to fire on the move and a superior fire control system.
Speaking at a December 2008 seminar on the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT), Lt General Dalip Bharadwaj, director general, Mechanised Forces said the army will not place orders for Arjun beyond the 124 already on order because it is "now looking 20 years ahead and wants a futuristic MBT". His predecessor, Lt General (retd.) K.D.S. Shekhawat is blunter. "The DRDO does not want to own up, the Arjun is based on the German Army's Leopard-1 design which entered service in the mid-1960s. It outlived its life over a decade ago. Today, every tank in the world, including the Leopard-2 and T-90, have sloped turrets (to reduce the impact of a hit) but the Arjun still continues with the rectangular turret."
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