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The December 30, 2011 issue of The Hindu , in the “This Day That Age” column, carried the report on the foundation stone being laid for the Heavy Vehicle Plant at Avadi, near Madras, on December 29, 1951, by V. K. Krishna Menon, Defence Minister. It redounds to the credit of leaders like Nehru and Menon, who made the bold decision to join the elite club of tank-making nations then; the US, UK, France, Germany and Soviet Union. Of course, the design, technology and manufacturing process for the first-ever Tank produced in our country, was received from the UK. The prototype was rolled out in 1965, serial production began in 1969, and till 1985 HVF built 2200 Vyjayantas , as they were called.
T SERIES TANKS
During the 1970s, the Army preferred the Soviet-made T Series Tanks, as they found they were robust and required low maintenance. After batches of imports, agreement for technology transfer and indigenous manufacture of T72 was entered into in 1982 with the Soviet Union. Production lines with the latest state-of-the-art computerised machines were set up to produce T72s, named Ajeya , which began rolling out in 1988. More than 1300 Ajeyas joined the squadrons from the stables of HVF. With the advances in tank technology, particularly missile-firing capability, reactive armour, and improved vision devices, the Army decided to go in for T90s from Russia, who agreed to give technology and license for manufacture of 1000 tanks in 2004. But since 2007, due to delayed receipt of design and process documents and hurdles in transferring technology, and poor performance of thermal imaging at night sights in blistering summer, HVF could deliver only 150 of them, now named Bhishma , while 150 more will be ready by 2013.
FERRARI OF THE DESERT
The crown jewel of the HVF product line is the indigenously-developed Arjun , endearingly called the Ferrari of the desert. In 2008, with the full authority of the government at the highest political level, the Army was prevailed upon to induct Arjun in regimental strength. For smooth flow of manufacture and procurement of components and subsystems, it would be necessary to have an order of at least 500, yet the Army, ever reluctant to accept indigenous development with an open mind, placed an order for only 124, which has been carried out. Now the production is paused, while a debate is on between the CVRDE and the Army on the modifications and improvements to be effected in the new batches. Till late 1980s, tanks used to be overhauled in EME workshops with the back-up of spares from HVF. However, HVF proactively took on the responsibility of overhauling Ajeyas since 2000. Although HVF has a capacity of 120 per year, and there are more than 1000 tanks with the army due for overhaul, it seems that the Army could roll in only 27 this year, as their own workshops are also competing for a piece of action. According to the Chairman of the Ordnance Factory Board, HVF will be tasked in the not-too-distant future to produce FMBT (Futuristic Main Battle Tanks), easily transportable lightweight vehicles with radar, missile intercepting and stealth built in.
(The author is former Member, Ordnance Factories.)
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