Article Posted on : - Nov 05, 2010

T-72 Main Battle Tank (MBT) of the Indian Army.

CHENNAI (BNS): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will soon bring out India's future main battle tank (FMBT) with a 1500-horsepower (HP) indigenous engine.

According to a news report by The Hindu, this future MBT, weighing only 50 tonnes, will replace beyond 2020 the imported T-72 tanks, renamed Ajeya, with the Indian Army. The work is moving on speedily with various specifications for the FMBT been finalised.

"A national team have been formed for the engine development, which comprises of members from the academia, the user, industry and the DRDO and also one international consultant," S. Sundaresh, Chief Controller (Armaments and Combat Engineering), DRDO, was quoted as saying in the news report.

He also added that, the first prototype of the indigenous engine would be ready in four to five years.

The news report also said that, the DRDO is launching a project to develop the transmission for the tank; the indigenous engine and transmission will together be called Bharat Power Pack and it will meet the FMBT's mobility requirements.