ARMOURED / INTERNAL SECURITY

MBTs

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The Present... Continued from page 4

1,130hp provides a maximum speed of 60 km/h to the tank.

Future Developments

The Israelis have shown in concepts a vision for what might be a viable alternative to existing MBT design with the Carmel. Of course, it represents a heavy IFV more than it does a tank. The vehicle uses a twocrew layout, with the crew in a protected citadel like in the Russian T-14 Armata. It has a remote turret which is armed with a medium-calibre automatic cannon, and on top of the turret there are two remote weapon stations which have a machinegun and two ATGMs each. The vehicle relies on an active protection system such as Trophy for defeating RPGs and ATGMs. The vehicle also has a very high level of automation, with automatic vehicle terrain navigation, automatic target recognition and independent target search functionality for all weapons. This means that in combat situations, the vehicle is capable of locating targets independently and the crew would simply need to prioritise or select the targets they want to engage and the vehicle conducts the engagement automatically. This level of automation also allows the crew to be removed from the vehicle altogether and for it to be used as an entirely unmanned platform.

Tanks are locked in an existential arms race with anti-tank weapons, which means the future might mean taking a few steps back. Tanks will likely become lighter, reversing the trend of heavier tanks, making up for the difference in armour protection by incorporating active protection systems that shoot down enemy rockets and missiles. The presence of battlefield sensors in tanks, aircraft, drones and even satellites will probably mean tanks will gain optical camouflage and anti-radar stealth.

But the future is hard to predict. In 2011, the Netherlands got rid of all of its tanks, believing that the age of tank vs tank warfare had ended. Then as Russian tanks rolled into the Ukraine in February 2014, and the Dutch scrambled to get their tanks back in service.

India’s Exposed... Continued from page 5 this international drug trafficking network. The extended nationwide Covid lockdowns starting March 2020, and Myanmar plunging back into chaos and lawlessness since the February 2021 military coup helped spread this new poppy cultivation culture. It has also led to extensive and severe deforestation of hillsides. The government’s resolute “War on Drugs” which involved burning poppy cultivations and eviction of illegal occupation of reserve forests by mostly Kuki-Chin illegal migrants provided the first spark. It is a direct challenge to the narcoterrorism gang lords and their international (mostly Chinese) handlers. Needless to say, numerous local politicians have deep connections to these operatives and their drug money. Hence the extreme violent fightback and vilification of the Manipur government’s war on drugs as something directed against one community only.

Rights to Land Ownership

Secondly, Manipur has a peculiar geographical hill-valley divide, first sowed by the British and further entrenched by ruinous land laws adopted post-independence. Though there are about 32 tribes in the state, the Meitei’s who are largely Vaishnavas and make up about 53 per cent of the population are restricted to just 10 per cent of the landmass in the Imphal valley. This is due to some calamitous steps adopted in early fifties that not only deprived them of scheduled tribe status but also forbade them from buying land in the hills that comprise 90 per cent of the area. The hills are occupied by Kukis (28 per cent) in the inner ring and Nagas in the outer ring. Mostly Christian, they have ST status and are free to buy land in the valley.

The anger amongst the Meitei have been simmering for long, demanding ST status as not only their expanding population were restricted to the valley but also because they were also losing even that land gradually as Kukis began to buy up land there. It is suspected that the church may be involved in funding this land grab. On April 10, 2023, the Manipur High Court directed the State government to consider the request and send a recommendation to the Union government for its consideration, upping the ante.

India’s Future Tank... Continued from page 6 fighting vehicles are taking a two-pronged approach. Even as they struggle to evolve a future family of fighting vehicles, upgrades to their existing fleet are progressing concurrently. Only Russia appears to have fielded a new MBT for the future MBT -the T14 Armata. What needs to be considered is that work on it had commenced in the in 1988 as the T-95/Object 195. When that was shelved due to lack of funds in early 2000s the project shifted to Object 148 based on the same platform and evolved into T-14 Armata of today. Its layout enables it to be continuously upgraded with the systems to counter evolving threats.

Whither India: The Need for a Parallel Approach India has a mix of three tanks, T-72, T-90, and Arjun, but does not have the concept of upgrading the existing systems or subsystems. The only upgrade of value the T-72 received is the Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) panels. Despite it having over 60 per cent commonality with the T-90, no attempt has been made to incorporate many of the advanced systems and subsystems from T-90 into it. Further, through the design and development of the Arjun MBT, there are other advanced systems that have been developed in-house, but no attempt has been made at cross pollination –incorporating them to upgrade these tanks to a higher level.

Yet, India is looking at a whole new platform for future threats, which keeps evolving as the critical technologies mature. This results in reworking of its GSQR periodically, thereby pushing back the fielding of the new armoured platform. With no concept of a parallel approach of necessary upgrades to it existing fleet, it would put these platforms at risk in future wars.

Even as the work on FRCV is progresses, it is time to involve the Academia and Private players to upgrade the existing MBTs and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles with modern suites to provide for increase firepower, multi-domain protection, and mobility. These suites/their improved versions can then be fielded in the future armoured platforms whenever fielded. This needs to be the way ahead and not a singlepoint attempt to only get a new platform of vehicles for the future battlefields. The current fleet, with such periodic upgrades can be fielded in future battlefields atleast till circa 2040-45, or beyond. The FRCV and its family of vehicles can be gradually inducted into service as and when they are fielded and could work with the current

India in the Game

The Indian Army is one of the biggest users of Russian armour including the T-90, T-72 and BMP-series infantry combat vehicles. Hence the Indian Army is keenly observing the developments in Ukraine in order to improve battle tank design for the future. In line with government policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat, it is expected that MBT Arjun will eventually become the mainstay of Indian Army. If we compare specifications of Arjun and T-90, then we can see that Arjun is far heavier than T-90. But, at the same time, Arjun has a 1400 hp engine as compared to 950 hp engine of T-90, which explains why the top speed of Arjun is 72 km/h, whereas that of T-90 is 60 km/h. Comparative trials on the manoeuvrability of the Arjun MBT and the Russian T-90 tank in Rajasthan deserts have resulted in a better performance from the Arjun tank. With infusion of a German V-90 engine, improved metallurgy, and with an electrooptical (EO) fire-control system, the MK1A MBT Arjun may soon emerge as one of the best frontline MBTs in the world. SP

Historical Efforts to Divide

The British had long cherished a dream to slice the Northeast from rest of India and carve out a Christian country in the region. During colonial times, it enforced an inner line permit to apparently protect the tribes in the hills but pushed evangelists to convert the nature worshiper tribes to Christianity. Many billboards in Nagaland openly splash “Nagaland for Christ” and outfits have been demanding a ‘Greater Nagaland’ (Nagalim) that includes large parts of Manipur. The possibility of this mission getting a renewed thrust cannot be ruled out in the run up to 2024 elections in concert with the other separatist plots for Khalistan and Ghazwa-e-Hind.

The violence, arson and looting as well as deaths in Manipur are an unfortunate upshot of tragic historical fissures which are now deftly being exploited by the drug mafia and anti-national syndicates. Relentless action on narcoterrorism must continue alongside steps to remove obscure and discriminatory land laws. Manipur needs a calming hand. But it may have to wait as the fractures are deep and complex. SP fleet till their extended lives, since they would also be upgraded to face these evolving threats.

Conclusion

The suites needed to counter multi-domain threats of the enemy, and project multidomain threats to potential challengers would be very expensive – these emerging and disruptive technologies do not come cheap. Thus, the need for such a parallel approach, wherein even as the work is on for some future platform to cater for the DMA, as the systems and subsystems evolve, upgrades to the existing platforms should continue in the interim.

Such a joint parallel approach, which includes Academia and Private players would spread the costs and generate economy of scales. SP

Major General Rajiv Narayanan retired after over 37 years of distinguished service in February 2016, as the ADGMO, in Army HQ. He currently a Professor of Practise with IIT Madras, Senior Fellow with the Peninsula Foundation, a Member of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, and a Member of the Indus International Research Foundation.

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