NEW DELHI: The Indian Army's T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks are set to get an indigenous power back-up, with the defence ministry on Monday inking a Rs 586 crore contract with Accurate Industrial Controls Private Limited for the supply of auxiliary power units (APUs).
The APU, the ministry said in its statement, is "an alternate source for generation of electric power for fire control system, firing circuit, gun stabilisation system and other ancillaries of the tank". Their induction, it added, will "further strengthen the operational readiness, reliability and sustainability of the Indian Army's Mechanised Formations".
The capability addresses a long-standing operational gap. Tanks holding surveillance or ambush positions during lulls in battle have to keep their main engines running for extended periods to power sights, radios, navigation aids and stabilisation systems. This consumes fuel, adds to powerpack wear and generates thermal and acoustic signatures that can expose a tank’s position. An APU provides the required power with the main engine switched off, reducing both fuel consumption and the tank’s signature.
The Army's overall requirement runs to roughly 3,257 APUs, about 1,657 for the T-90 and 1,600 for the older T-72, with the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by the defence ministry accorded in October 2019 after feasibility studies. The fresh contract covers a part of that requirement.
Significantly, the units have been developed under the Make-II route, which puts the onus of design and development on private industry without government funding.
The ministry called the deal "a significant step towards indigenisation of critical sub-systems of Armoured Platforms", saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of the mechanism "in translating indigenous innovation into production and induction".
The order comes as the Army tries to keep an ageing armoured fleet combat worthy while its next generation platforms remain years away. It operates around 2,400 T-72 Ajeya tanks, slated for eventual replacement under the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) programme and some 1,300 T-90S Bhishma tanks, with 464 T-90 Mk 3s ordered in 2019. Subsequently, sub-system upgrades such as APUs, thermal sights and fire detection systems therefore remain the quickest way to squeeze more out of what is already in service.
