Arjun Mk-II
DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat, also the scientific adviser to the defence minister, told HT at Aero India-2011: "The new variant will have several modifications including superior missile firing capabilities." On June-2011 the Mk-II begun to undergo trials at Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan. The Mk-II is also expected to go through its winter trials later the same year.
According to CVRDE the Director P. Sivakumar, the Arjun Mark II will have a total of 93 upgrades, including 13 major improvements. The major upgrades would be missile-firing capability against long-range targets, panoramic sight with night vision to engage targets effectively at night, containerisation of the ammunition, enhanced main weapon penetration; additional ammunition types, explosive reactive armour, an advanced air-defence gun to engage helicopters; a mine plough, an advanced land navigation system and a warning system which can fire smoke grenades to confuse laser guidance. Other upgrades are an enhanced Auxiliary power unit providing 8.5 KW (from 4.5 KW) and an improved gun barrel, changes in the commander's panoramic sight with eye safe LRF, night vision capability including for driver, digital control harness, new final drive, track and sprocket.
Arjun tank hull and turret has been modified to achieve the target weight of about 55 tons from 59-64 tons. Elbit is helping to enhance its firepower and battlefield survivability and IMI is helping to augment Arjun Mk II’s mobility, redesign its turret and hull and improve its production-line processes.
The development trials of the Mark II tanks started on June 22, 2012, at Rajasthan's Pokhran field firing range which will continue for the next two months and will mainly focus on 19 parametres, according to DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta. DRDO will start production of 124 Arjun Mark II tanks for the Indian Army after the success of these trials. The tank commander's thermal imaging (TI) night sight, the tank's operation in "hunter-killer" mode, the tank's missile firing capability from its main gun, and a laser missile warning and counter measure system are among the crucial upgrades that will be tested.
The Mark-II version completed most user trials except missile testing, which is slated to take place in summer (April-May) of 2013. Since May 2012, user trials had been done in Avadi and Pokhran. So far, the response to the new features of Arjun Mark II was favourable. According to Director, CVRDE P. Sivakumar the Arjun Mk II could fire missiles accurately up to a range of 2 km. Owing to the experience while designing and building the first version work on Arjun Mk-II was completed in 2 years.
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