India fires a laser-guided ATGM from the 120mm gun of Arjun tank

NEW DELHI — India continues to test the penetration capability of the 120mm gun on the Arjun tank. Another test was carried out on August 4, when the tank fired an ATGM, also of local production. The 120mm gun unified with the British L11 / L30 guns is problematic for the tank.

This gun is one of the biggest problems of this vehicle, so implementing an ATGM gun can increase its ability to destroy enemy tanks. The effector itself is not named and information about its specification is rudimentary. It is known to have been created thanks to the collaboration of local industry with the DRDO and to use of a tandem cumulative warhead.

This is another test of this rocket. The Arjun’s primary armament, due to its proximity to British serrated tank guns, currently lacks modern anti-tank ammunition that could easily penetrate the frontal armour of many tanks. It is not known what resistance the most modern Chinese tanks have, so the introduction of a barrelled ATGM, will probably have greater penetration, equalling that of conventional tank ammunition.

Features of Arjun’s 120mm Gun

Arjun MK-II has an integrated 120mm cannon that can fire a very large set of ammunition – FSAPDS [Fin Stabilized Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot], HESH [High-Explosive Squash Head], PCB, TB, and the Israeli laser anti-tank missile [LAHAT]. Interestingly, the cannon is equipped with a thermal sleeve, smoke extractor, and barrel orientation system.

The Used ATGM Is NAG

The most likely laser-guided anti-tank missile used was the NAG, an Indian anti-tank missile developed for air and ground platforms. Depending on the launch platform, the missile has two names – NAMICA [NAG Missile Carrier] if launched from land platforms, as is the case, and HELINA if launched from a helicopter [NAG Helicopter Launch].

NAG is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile in the style of “shoot and forget”, which can be fired at targets in both direct strike mode and top attack mode. Although it can fire day and night in a variety of weather conditions, it can also attack conventional armoured battle tanks as well as explosive jet armoured main battle tanks.

About Arjun MBT

In recent years, the Indians have managed to seriously reward their old version of the Arjun MBT to get today’s 120mm Arjun MK-II. India unveiled the Arjun MK-II for the first time in 2014 in February during a military parade in the capital, New Delhi.

Bahrain seeks MBT, 120mm Arjun MK-II with Israeli ALWACS is an option

The tank is powered by a 10-cylinder V-90 turbocharged diesel engine with charge cooling and water cooling. This engine provides the Arjun MK-II with 1030 kW at 2400 rpm. With a full tank of fuel, the tank can travel up to 500 km, and the maximum speed it reaches is 50 km / h on the road and 40 km / h on cross-country terrain, including off-road.

The armour of the tank is an Indian production type ERA [Explosive Reactive Armor]. Experts believe that it is equivalent to the Russian armour Kontakt-5 with which the Russian T-90 is equipped. Interestingly, the Arjun Mk II has a custom-made laser warning and response system [ALWACS], developed in collaboration with the Israeli company Elbit Systems, which is installed on each side of the dome. In addition, the tank has modern optics and an automatic device for sifting the target.