Zorawar: Light tank for Indian army
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
What is this barrel though?
Notice the gas extractor near RM's hand. This is not a barrel of an artillery gun. This is definitely meant to be the main gun of an armored vehicle/tank. Gas extractors are absolutely necessary for that application.
The barrel also has an integrated pepper pot type muzzle break. In 2019, I remember reading a DRDO paper discussing various types of muzzle devices on tank main guns & their effect on recoil. The paper concluded that the integrated pepper pot muzzle brakes were the best candidate with well-balanced specs:
Currently, there are 2 tank guns under development. A 105mm gun for the Zorawar & a 120/125mm SB gun for the NGMBT/FMBT program. Is that barrel meant for one of those programs?
@Ashwin @Parthu @randomradio et al.
Notice the gas extractor near RM's hand. This is not a barrel of an artillery gun. This is definitely meant to be the main gun of an armored vehicle/tank. Gas extractors are absolutely necessary for that application.
The barrel also has an integrated pepper pot type muzzle break. In 2019, I remember reading a DRDO paper discussing various types of muzzle devices on tank main guns & their effect on recoil. The paper concluded that the integrated pepper pot muzzle brakes were the best candidate with well-balanced specs:
Currently, there are 2 tank guns under development. A 105mm gun for the Zorawar & a 120/125mm SB gun for the NGMBT/FMBT program. Is that barrel meant for one of those programs?
@Ashwin @Parthu @randomradio et al.
Just eyeballing it but it seems to be of a smaller bore than the 120mm seen in other pics above.
Likely it's the 105mm if you ask me.
I think so too.
Compare the size of the gas extractor of that barrel with the 105mm on Zorawar:
Looks very similar in size to me.
Indigenous Zorawar light tank undergoes trials in Ladakh.
Zorawar's trials are underway in Ladakh's Nyoma region and the indigenously-developed light tank will be handed over to the Indian Army for user trials next year after current trials are completed, sources said.
www.indiatoday.in
Zorawar's trials are underway in Ladakh's Nyoma region and the indigenously-developed light tank will be handed over to the Indian Army for user trials next year after current trials are completed, sources said.
Indigenous Zorawar light tank undergoes trials in Ladakh
Zorawar's trials are underway in Ladakh's Nyoma region and the indigenously-developed light tank will be handed over to the Indian Army for user trials next year after current trials are completed, sources said.
It's the 105mm barrel for the IFG. It's part of an upgrade program to push its service life to 2040.
Oly light tank with amphibious capabilities.
IA originally wanted the same for FMBT/FRCV. Not sure if the requirement is still present 'cause the RFI ignores that. And there are plenty of other capabilities required that are not mentioned in the RFI either.
Yeah, the main reason is airlift. Everything else mentioned has a lot more to do with technical limitations of the industry. For example, a stock American engine rather than a custom-designed one. So it's unclear if Zorawar will eventually meet the specifications of the main light tank that will be opened up for competition.
I believe that only technical reasons can be possible for why there are two separate contracts; 1 regiment of 59 Zorawars and at least 5 regiments of almost 295 other tanks that may or may not be Zorawar. That's why only the specs will give us the answer.
As for amphibious FRCV, it was supposed to be an add-on structure added to the tank, like deep fording, and not built into it from the get-go.
Anyway, I was referring to why he said Zorawar is unique in its class; amphibious capabilities.
Indian Light Tank achieves major milestone by firing a number of rounds accurately at High Altitude
Posted On: 12 DEC 2024 9:36PM by PIB DelhiIndian Light Tank (ILT) has achieved a major milestone by firing a number of rounds at different ranges at an altitude of more than 4200m, at a High Altitude Location with consistently accurate results. This was subsequent to the Phase I trial in desert environment in September 2024. This light tank has been defined, designed and developed by Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment, the Chennai-based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) against the Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements of Indian Army. It is manufactured by the Industry Partner Larsen & Toubro Precision Engineering & Systems.
ILT is being designed as a 25-ton class armoured fighting vehicle to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces for High altitude applications. In an integrated manner, the design to realisation to demonstration at high altitude has been achieved in three years.
The airlift capability of ILT was also demonstrated by the Indian Air Force. Such a capability would assist in quick deployment of ILT in operating conditions which are remote and difficult to access through road or rail. With these two phases of internal performance trials, which were actively supported by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, ILT would be undergoing some more trials before being offered for User trials.
Video from the recent trials:
View attachment Zorawar_firing_trials_2.mp4
View attachment Zorawar_firing_trials_2.mp4
Gas extractor on an artillery gun barrel?
Sharang and ATHOS do too. I guess for greater gun safety and crew safety and comfort. Less fumes in their faces and a lesser chance of combustion.
No, it's a gas extractor. A more specific term is bore evacuator.
You can see the haze.
Anyway a thermal sleeve should cover the length of the barrel. It's like a car tarp meant to protect the barrel from uneven heating due to the sun. If you cover only a part of the barrel, then it has the opposite effect.
My bad. Correction to be made here.
It's a 76 mm 62 cal ship gun. It's from Oto Melara and the barrel is license produced by AWEIL.
The barrel is a clear match.
The IFG uses the same gun as before but it is gonna undergo upgrades.
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An RFI was released to mount some of the existing guns on 4x4s two years ago. An upgrade was also mentioned by someone in the industry, probably electronics and BB ammo. I guess some of this is via emergency purchases hence the lack of easy-to-find information. Many of these guns require life extension too. The barrel will remain the same.