Army's 55-ton FRCV weight limit excludes most of the modern tanks from Europe and US

[RonitBisht]

The Indian Army's plan to replace its T-72 tanks with 1,700 Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) has sparked debate, particularly around the 55-ton weight limit.

Defence analyst Ranesh Rajan suggests that this limit may limit foreign offers from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), as it excludes most recently developed tanks from Europe and the US.

Most Heavy Main Battle Tanks breach 55-ton limits, and private companies like Tata, Larsen & Toubro, and Mahindra & Mahindra are interested in the program.

The procurement process is expected to be dynamic, with the 55-ton weight limit as a key point of discussion.

 

[Anonymus]

I am not surprised of 55 ton requirement I am surprised of 55 ton 4 maned tank there not a single tank which 55 ton with 4 personal.
Army surely getting out of there mind when they give there requirements.
Atleast they should be realistic then people start cursing DRDO when they won't able to complete projects on time. Requirement like this surely need much more time.

 

[Anant]

More than the weight, tell the Army to reconsider their stance on pricing. 4 million USD a tank isn't going to get you a modernised T-90 today, let alone the tank the Army wants!

 

[Ramsses CDXX]

#ChhotaPacketBadaDhamaka — Chat mangi pat byyaah❗
➥Design like Japanese Type 10 M-MBT with little too much *automation* with a price tag 🏷️$20 million.
➥Reduce combat loads – 50% fuel (1 aux. tank), 50% ammo (20-22), 3-types ammo (APFSDS, PCB, HEAT), No missiles. Keep the existing 120mm and reduce bore calibre to 44.
➥All-modular armour, laminate armour, APS & ERA instead of integral co-applique armour.
➥Reduce crew by 25% or 50% -- Move to 3-👨🏻/2-👨🏻config – reduce turret volume.
➥A 'little' smaller hp engine – ~1200 hp.
➥Depend more on helicopters & UAV for anti-armour roles – more Apache, Rudra, Prachand.

🐮🐈‍⬛

 

[Rajagopal]

Army surely getting out of there mind when they give there requirements.

Army should come to the grounds from its high pedestal and stop reading marvel comic books.

 

[The Presence]

How is it not a fair contest if there are 4 contenders competing ?
Do you want MRFA Khichdi Part-2 ?

 

[Anant]

Atleast they should be realistic then people start cursing DRDO when they won't able to complete projects on time. Requirement like this surely need much more time.

No, the Army wants a tank that is 25 years in the future at a price point that was relevant 25 years back. Completely normal for them, is it not?

 

[Kira]

I agree with this analyst.

 

[Superpower Bharat]

Army surely getting out of there mind when they give there requirements.

This is the only reason behind Arjun tank failure

 

[INDIAN]

Indian army should promote truly indigenous design and manufacturing , our enemies will be China and Pakistan, if our indigenous system can handle them, then we should accept them rather than dreamy of unrealistic requirement's .

 

[kumar]

This is the only reason behind Arjun tank failure

Very well said.

 

[Rudra]

Those who set these rules need to stop inhaling the diesel fumes from their T-90s, before going to work.

 

[Sandeep]

India will have to develop a 100% indigenous tank developed by DRDO-Private company or a Indian company developed tank as tanks are a strategic necessity that a military needs. Modern tanks need to be heavily armoured as modern ATGM can easily kill tanks either with a direct hit or top attack hit and unless a new type of light but very strong armour is developed then we can't provide adequate protection by keeping a 55t weight limit. Another key requirement is that we need to develop a gun that can shoot larger shells or missiles than 120mm as every tank uses that calibre and by using the same calibre it gives us no easy advantage over the enemy. We also need to install a active protection suite to defend against top attack ATGM by intercepting it. Along with that we need to install different types of drones for surveillance and kamikaze drones, EW, NERA, 360 cameras with thermal/night vision, 1500hp engine, APU, automatic tracking, auto loader, remote medium and heavy machine guns, tank health monitoring, ballistic computer, modern software etc which all needs to be designed and developed indigenously and a lot of technology that was developed for Arjun MK1A which can be useful and used in this new FMBT.

 

[The_rED_dEVIL]

This is the only reason behind Arjun tank failure

Exactly, there are many modernisation plans which failed due to the Army's imaginative requirements which no one has even drawn on design boards. Lists include Multicalibre Rifle procurement, Arjun tanks, etc.

An article dealing with these was released by SwarjyaMarg.

 

[Anil Kumar]

Atleast they should be realistic then people start cursing DRDO when they won't able to complete projects on time. Requirement like this surely need much more time.

Army requirements are out of our planet. First they give false requirement to DRDO and then after completion will blame for overweight bla bla bla. And then purchase from Russian, Israel, US

 

[Akhil]

Haha reading articles and comments about how 55 tonne is quite low. Same writers and commentators also describe how Arjun is overweight.

Finally people need to realise, IA makes ridiculous demands. Then these generals retire and most probably laugh secretly about these "requirements" they made post retirement.

 

[me]

Tanks are obsolete unless u can defeat cheap shoulder fire rockets and drones packed with explosive

 

[Avada kedavra]

Why are they still trying to build roosky style tanks?
A tank needs to be heavily armoured. All kinds of things are being thrown at a tank these days.
APS is a life saver but heavy armour should be the base requirement.

 

[desigandu]

Is it true that Indian Military has unreasonable expectations of capability and cost, which either does not exist in the world or is a combination of capabilities that cannot be achieved...If so we need to change our approach, else keep underming R&D and Military-Industrial efforts...If no one in the world has such a capability and it is an impossible tradeoff - how can we get there without some transformative breakthrough which either we are not investing in or being unreasonable...Something to think about...Example being a 55Ton Tank with the best protection, hispeed and long range and myriad capabilities?????

 

[Rajesh]

55 ton with 4 crew esp with autoloader will breach 60ton since we have a similar one in Arjun which is 65+ton. Even if the metallurgy has changed could not reduce some 10
+ ton. Can't think who ever made this requirement to be dumb or smoking at its highest level so it might be explained what they actually needs during the interaction with interested vendors. Anyways the requirement of IPR with the Indian vendor is a good thing as we can't just keep 🪛 for life from west which Was Russia previously. Since gun dimensions are not mentioned hope it to be above 125mm .

 

[Prashu Sam]

T-14 Armata is good tank atleast on paper until it used in ukraine war. If you want to buy it, just go for it as we did it for T-90 in mid nineties. AT that time T-90 was customized for India specific need. Same can be done with T-14 with cash striped Russia we may get the better deal as well.

DRDO will take atleast 10 years just to develop and not worth the time to wait

 

[Prashu Sam]

If so we need to change our approach, else keep underming R&D and Military-Industrial efforts...If no one in the world has such a capability and it is an impossible tradeoff - how can we get there without some transformative breakthrough which either we are not investing in or being unreasonable.

Chandigarth lobby is corrupt to core and do anything including non existence requirements to buy from Outside. IA never had vision or plan to executive things systematically.

Look at the sad story of NAG (read wikipedia) it was cleared for production 5 time since 1995 and it is still in "successful" trial mode. All our organizations are highly disconnected and live in their own world. It is typical Indian bureaucracy where left hand does not know what right hand is doing. In this modern era with communication is improved so much it should not be case going forward

 

[Prashu Sam]

India will have to develop a 100% indigenous tank developed by DRDO-Private company or a Indian company developed tank as tanks are a strategic necessity that a military needs. Modern tanks need to be heavily armoured as modern ATGM can easily kill tanks either with a direct hit or top attack hit and unless a new type of light but very strong armour is developed then we can't provide adequate protection by keeping a 55t weight limit.

So far we only had failed examples. IA come up with ridiculous requirements. DRDO develop something complete mismatch, IA testing takes forever, changes accommodation take another few years and after all that when it is ready for production it is probably outdated, or procurement make sure it does not induct in time. From outside it looks like all these organization collaborate for failure and waste tax payers money.

If you ask DRDO to develop now they will do exactly same thing as they did for decades. Thats why TEJAS, ARJUN, ATAGS, DHANUSH, NAG never been in inducted in large number so far.

 

[Prashu Sam]

➥Design like Japanese Type 10 M-MBT with little too much *automation* with a price tag 🏷️$20 million.
➥Reduce combat loads – 50% fuel (1 aux. tank), 50% ammo (20-22), 3-types ammo (APFSDS, PCB, HEAT), No missiles. Keep the existing 120mm and reduce bore calibre to 44.
➥All-modular armour, laminate armour, APS & ERA instead of integral co-applique armour.
➥Reduce crew by 25% or 50% -- Move to 3-👨🏻/2-👨🏻config – reduce turret volume.
➥A 'little' smaller hp engine – ~1200 hp.
➥Depend more on helicopters & UAV for anti-armour roles – more Apache, Rudra, Prachand.

It is too late to start from scratch and no success or induction guarantee. It is same trap as of MIG, AMCA and MRFA. we will talk, discuss, develop something in air and never been inducted. If we select T-14 now, there is good chance it will be in service by 2030 with most changes specific to India.

I am not fan of russian equipment, but i do not see any viable alternative as of now. As much i support and want Atmanirbhar to success, reality and history shows us that our system is just too stupid.

 

[Sandeep]

If you ask DRDO to develop now they will do exactly same thing as they did for decades. Thats why TEJAS, ARJUN, ATAGS, DHANUSH, NAG never been in inducted in large number so far.

Nations don’t always develop the best weapons and technology but in war they use whatever they have. India is still at the start of building a self reliant military as we haven’t developed everything yet. Tejas is being manufactured and in large numbers along with Tejas 2 soon. Arjun tank will induct another division before they move on to the FMBT. As for the ATAGS orders will be placed this year for around 300. As for the Dhanush gun they are already delivering them to the army. For the NAG ATGM variants they have already placed orders. India is beginning to learn and to rely on its own indigenous weapons and technology. The sad reality is that the corrupt jihadi party simply imported as they received large commissions. Most of these indigenous programs should have been started decades ago with proper funding, direction and accountability to see these projects through.