NYOMA (EASTERN LADAKH): The Indian Army troops on Sunday displayed multiple tactical tank exercises in the icy heights of eastern Ladakh. The exercises took place in Nyoma by the armoured unit that included modern war horses T-90, T-72 and BMP-2.
They passed through rapid enemy assault in the undulating surface of the valley. Nyoma stands at a height of about 13,700 ft and is around 30 km inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Speaking to this newspaper, soldier tradesman Manoj Kumar showed confidence in the machine and their ability to knock down the enemy.
“We are fully prepared to destroy our enemy at this altitude. It can be deployed anywhere and remove its obstacles to cross the area. It is capable of deep-fording (a technique used to cross deep water by driving a vehicle on the riverbed, lakebed, or seabed),” Manoj said.
Speaking about the T-90 tank, he said, “This is one of the best tanks in the world. We are very proud that this tank is being manufactured in India.”
The war machine is effective in any weather condition, day and night.
A total of 3 men handle this tank—driver, gunner and commander. This tank is fitted with a 1000-hp engine and can cross any obstacles anytime. It can be deployed in deserts and marshy land.
The gunner is mandated to keep an eye on the enemy and fire on them. There are two armaments equipped in this tank. The main is a 125-mm bore gun that can fire four types of ammunition.
The second weaponry system is a 7.62-mm machine gun, which is for infantry targets. To destroy aerial targets, the tank has a 12.7-mm gun.
The third member of the crew is the commander. This tank works on the principle of ‘hunter killer’. The commander can also fire on the enemy.
The LAC runs through eastern Ladakh for 832 km and is dotted with open valleys. The Indian Army had to induct a significant number of T-72 and T-90 tanks in operational areas, gaining tactical surprise over the adversary, forcing it on the back foot.
These areas are dotted with multiple open high-altitude valleys. The temperature there can plummet to minus 40 degrees Celsius, with gusts of high wind impacting the performance of men and such machines.
This gets aggravated by the rarefied air (with low oxygen level), affecting the performance of tanks. “When the temperature dips at night, we have to start the engine 2-3 times so that it can remain functional,” says Kumar.
With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops moving in large numbers, the Indian Air Force had to swing into action, pressing its strategic airlift transport fleet.
Over 68,000 troops were moved within a limited period to forward locations, and 90 tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, the Russian BMPs, and several artillery guns were airlifted—a total load exceeding 9,000 tonnes.
Work on the indigenous Indian light tank ‘Zorawar’ designed to operate from the high altitude area is going apace. It will be highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational situation.Earlier this month, it successfully conducted the preliminary automotive trials.
Tactical edge: Bhishma deployed at over 13K ft
India’s front-ranking Bhishma T-90 tank is equipped with ‘hunter killer’ capabilities -- combat power, reconnaissance capability, and survivability. It is effective in any weather condition and day & night. Deploying T-90s at Nyoma at a height of about 13,700 ft is a tough task.
Nyoma is around 30 km inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The LAC runs through eastern Ladakh for 832 km and is dotted with open valleys. The deployment of T-90s was meant to gain tactical surprise over the adversary, forcing it on the back foot.