An army tank is much more than a powerful machinery. It exudes the aura and vigilance of the Indian Army and is a manifesto of its courage and dedication. But do you know exactly why we spot them at public spaces and what does that signify? Or do you know about our main battle tanks (MBTs) and what are they so good at? Let’s find out:
Each army tank is a remembrance of a war once fought. One can generally find information about the history of the war and the role that the tank played during this time.
The high barrel signifies the winning glory of the army. Now decommissioned, these tanks have been part of war that has been won.
This is usually a tank that has been used to initiate peace during a war or is not an original tank, but a replica.
An enemy’s tank, this is a conquered tank from the enemy’s camp.
It showcases Army's valor in public and displays their bravery out in the open.
These are our four MBTs that have fought many battles and proven the test of time.
1. Arjun (Variant Bhim SPH, Arjun Mk II, Future MBT) March 1974–present
2. Karna/ Ajeya T-72 (Tank Ex, or MBT Ex) 1973–present
3. Vijayanta (Variant Kartik AVLB etc) 1965–2008
4. Bhishma (T-90M) 2000–present
Some of the things that make Arjun MBT such a remarkable machine:
1. Elbit/DRDO Fire control system: It provides a good probability of kill for any moving target.
2. It has C4ISR support for network centric warfare. This allows a wolfpack strategy in tank hunting situations.
3. Comes with a modular system in ICS and BMS and can be upgraded and integrated with new systems quite easily.
4. It also has rifled gun counts for improved accuracy along with a sizeable ammunition store.
The tank was used to counter the Pakistani deployment of the Ukrainian made T-84 tanks in 1995-97. Here are some of its awesome features.
1. Small size: It makes the tank harder to hit.
2. It is light as compared to other tanks with weight around 40 tons and can be moved on bridges easily.
3. It needs 3 instead of 4 crew to handle this machine.
4. It even boasts of low fuel consumption.
There are three tank variants here. There is Ajeya MK1, Ajeya MK2 and the combat improved Ajeya. All three are super strong and come with new technologicial improvements.
Now, the next time you see those great tanks passing in the Republic Day Parade or the ones you see in your city army stations, you'll really know what they mean.
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