India's FRCV Tank Impresses Serbian Military Experts with Protective Design, Dual Autoloader System and AI-Powered Targeting

India's ambitious Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) program has garnered international attention, with Serbian military experts praising its innovative design and cutting-edge technology. The FRCV, intended to replace the aging T-72 main battle tanks in the Indian Army, is being lauded for its potential to significantly enhance India's armored capabilities.

According to a recent analysis by RedEffect, a Serbian YouTube channel specializing in military technology, the FRCV draws inspiration from Russia's T-14 Armata tank while incorporating unique features tailored to India's specific needs. Notably, the FRCV is being developed with two distinct turret configurations: a manned version and an unmanned version.

The manned version features a low-profile turret design, enhancing crew protection by positioning them lower in the hull. The unmanned version, similar to the T-14 Armata, places the entire crew in the hull, further increasing their safety by isolating them from the turret.

One of the most striking aspects of the FRCV, as highlighted by RedEffect, is the dual autoloader system in the unmanned turret variant. This system combines a carousel autoloader in the hull with a bustle autoloader in the turret, a rare configuration in tank design. This innovative approach is expected to increase ammunition capacity and enable the FRCV to utilize longer APFSDS projectiles, addressing a longstanding challenge in Russian tank designs.

The manned turret version, on the other hand, will feature a traditional manual loading system, with ammunition stored near the driver for easy access.

RedEffect also emphasized the FRCV's impressive gun elevation angles, making it well-suited for operations in mountainous terrain, particularly along the India-China border. This capability provides a crucial tactical advantage in high-altitude combat scenarios.

The FRCV is projected to weigh between 45 to 55 tons and will be powered by a domestically developed 1,500 horsepower engine, ensuring adequate mobility.

The tank will be equipped with a 120mm smoothbore gun, marking a departure from the rifled guns used in India's Arjun MBT. While the gun's origin remains unclear, RedEffect suggests that it could be either procured from a foreign manufacturer or developed indigenously.

In terms of protection, the FRCV is expected to incorporate composite armor and advanced Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) to defend against both kinetic energy and high-explosive anti-tank rounds.

Furthermore, the tank will be integrated with advanced technologies such as automatic target tracking, potentially powered by AI, along with a battle management system and a remote weapon station, aligning with the growing trend of utilizing AI for enhanced battlefield awareness and firepower control.

RedEffect concluded its analysis by expressing optimism about the FRCV's potential to meet India's future combat requirements. With the recent approval of the FRCV program by India's Defence Acquisition Council, the project appears to be progressing steadily.

The Indian Army will now need to decide whether to initially adopt the manned turret variant before eventually transitioning to the unmanned version. Regardless of the chosen configuration, the FRCV is poised to become a formidable asset in India's armored forces.

 

[kinzelle]

More fantasy weapons for india, 2 autoloaders, flying tank, inbuilt icecream machine...

 

[Anant]

Speculative and deserved (and undeserved, for that matter) praise aside, that dual autoloader concept is fairly questionable given loitering munitions and the like. We have seen carousel autoloaders in the T-72s and T-90s, and both those tanks have become infamous for ammunition detonations with a slight bit of damage. More concerningly, those explosions are also sudden and violent enough to kill the tank crews immediately. Unmanned turret aside, this may not be a concept worth having.

 

[Pad UwU]

Just license the t14 armata to make it a better indianize version of it... Cost effective and faster to mass produce after some modification by not wasting too much money and time for the future warfare against China

 

[sanket]

wow good specially weight where ARMY always have an issue 45 to 55 Ton, with Indigenous Engine with 1500 hp it will have solid Thrust to weight Ratio over 30 with Good Mobility

 

[Pad UwU]

Russian are too much occupied to produce t14 so they're sole focus currently is upgraded t90 that has some t14 technology in it... It's a great opportunity for India to take advantage the Russian Orc's situation 😹😹😹

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

I saw his video. His stuff is decent, but he sheets on Arjun tank lol. It is a bit of a meme

 

[NSR]

When India still not able to produce its homegrown Arjun tanks at a steady pace to meet Indian Army requirements, then this FRCV venture is a very much a dream and a distant reality.

No confidence in Indian OFB and Avadi Factory at all.

 

[DB_NE_Guy]

When India still not able to produce its homegrown Arjun tanks at a steady pace to meet Indian Army requirements, then this FRCV venture is a very much a dream and a distant reality.

No confidence in Indian OFB and Avadi Factory at all.

Arjun was not liked by army much. It's ability to target while moving is questionable and was criticised by some senior Army honchos.

 

[Kira]

Speculative and deserved (and undeserved, for that matter) praise aside, that dual autoloader concept is fairly questionable given loitering munitions and the like. We have seen carousel autoloaders in the T-72s and T-90s, and both those tanks have become infamous for ammunition detonations with a slight bit of damage. More concerningly, those explosions are also sudden and violent enough to kill the tank crews immediately. Unmanned turret aside, this may not be a concept worth having.

True, plus the design itself will be complicated and anything older like Soviet era designs need to be junked outright.

 

[Hanshu=Agarwal]

RedEffect is Croatian Channel not Serbian, also it only feed NATO interest nothing more so take it's review with pinch of salt

 

[Dredd]

Just license the t14 armata to make it a better indianize version of it... Cost effective and faster to mass produce after some modification by not wasting too much money and time for the future warfare against China

There is a reason that even russians are not mass producing it nor sending them to front.

 

[Glory X]

There is a reason that even russians are not mass producing it nor sending them to front.

And the reason is?

 

[Akshat]

And the reason is?

Poor quality. It was showcased to multiple countries and everyone rejected it.

 

[Akshat]

Russian are too much occupied to produce t14 so they're sole focus currently is upgraded t90 that has some t14 technology in it... It's a great opportunity for India to take advantage the Russian Orc's situation 😹😹😹

Russian army rejected T14 well before the war even started. Other countries have rejected it as well.

 

[Dredd]

And the reason is?

incomplete development, very high cost, Unavailability of electronics equipment, Also the crew is untrained so producing them make not much sense as training and creating a new tactics around this new tank take years.

 

[Tailless Baboon]

In the manned version, it would be interesting to see if when the turret rotates, the heads of the officers move in 360 degrees like that of an owl (270 degrees actually).

Whichever design is adopted, make it perfectly safe.

 

[Mrityunjay Shrivastav]

Arjun was not liked by army much. It's ability to target while moving is questionable and was criticised by some senior Army honchos.

Lol, read CAG report which was only released 4 years after the trails, they mentioned in literally every parameter T-90 was provided relaxations to justify preference for T90

 

[Anant]

I saw his video. His stuff is decent, but he sheets on Arjun tank lol. It is a bit of a meme

Fair point, but I do say that the Arjun does deserve some criticism. Thanks to the fault of our own defence establishment and other non-controllable circumstances, the Arjun has had probably the most protracted and convoluted development history of any MBT. Doesn't help either when you consider that we only have a small number of them in service and the fact that the tank faced crippling reliability issues in the early days.

 

[Anant]

In the manned version, it would be interesting to see if when the turret rotates, the heads of the officers move in 360 degrees like that of an owl (270 degrees actually).

Whichever design is adopted, make it perfectly safe.

Um, I hope you know you were being facetious. That said, a carouse magazine is anything buy safe. Just ask the tanks of Soviet- and Russian-origin that have been competing in the Tank Turret Tossing Olympics since 2022.

 

[DB_NE_Guy]

Lol, read CAG report which was only released 4 years after the trails, they mentioned in literally every parameter T-90 was provided relaxations to justify preference for T90

T-90 has a versatile ability to target objects while on move. Whereas, Arjun was not because it's too heavy and cumbersome.