Article Posted on : - Jul 15, 2013

A file photo.

CHENNAI (PTI): The fully integrated modified version of India's Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Mark II would go for final trials in the first week of August in Rajasthan.

Though trials of the updated version are presently on in Rajasthan, the fully integrated tanks would be sent for final trials by the Indian Army by August, sources told PTI.

The Army had asked for 93 improvements to the tank, which included 19 major modifications, all of which have been incorporated, they said.

Arjun Mark II can fire missiles, has an enhanced Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) with a capacity of 8.5 KW (against Mark I's 4.5 KW), Explosive Reactive Armour panels, mine plough, Automatic Target Tracking, Advanced Land Navigation System, digital control harness and advanced commander panoramic sight among other features.

Arjun will have a better gun barrel with an Equivalent Firing Charge (strength of the barrel to sustain firing) of 500 rounds against the T 72's 250 rounds.

Chennai-based Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment has designed the Mark II version of MBT at its facility here.

CVRDE co-ordinated with Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Pune, Instruments Research & Development Establishment, Dehradun, Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety, Delhi and Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad for designing Mark II.