Rahul Bhonsle
Jun 9, 2016
Today a year has gone by since the issue of the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) Request for Information (RFI) by the Directorate General of Mechanised Forces (DGMF) of the Indian Army technically known as the Integrated HQ of Ministry of Defence (Army).
The project is to be implemented in three stages Design, Prototype Development and Production. Presently only the first or the Design stage is under consideration. The three stage process is a part of the Defence Procurement Procedure “Make,” category. This is different from the Buy Indian Design and Developed Make category which is priority one in the Buy and Make category of the DPP 2016.
The RFI of 10 June 2015 elaborated the operational requirements and design philosophy relevant to the Design Stage and it is anticipated that the subsequent RFIs will be issued for Stage 2 and 3 though in case adequate homework had been done all three could have been given out simultaneously but that is a moot point.
The main issue is the platform centric rather than information centric approach in the design criteria which restricts the designer to provide sub optimal solution to the next generation tank for the Indian Army, but first a review of the RFI.
The RFI calls for designing a base platform for the Main Battle Tank as a replacement of the T 72 tanks in the Indian Army. This will be a modular concept which can meet the requirements of variants which could be from a tracked light tank to an armoured ambulance. Essentially the chassis will remain the same while the superstructure could vary depending on the numbers and usage desired. The modular concept is not new as at present for instance the Arjun chassis has been used for varied purposes such as the Bhim artillery gun.
The RFI is essentially to select tank design bureaus and agencies which would include the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who will be going through a design competition to be selected by a Design Selection Committee. The winning design(s) will carry suitable cash prize(s). Thus the design will be partially gratis. The agency/bureau whose designs are selected will work on the project through the prototype and the Limited Series Production (LSP) stages thereby ensuring providing detailed inputs in the production stage as well. The Design Selection Committee (DSC) is expected to have apart from officers of the DGMF tank design experts from the DRDO and other agencies. Private experts also need to be called up if not as members but to render advice to the DSC.
The basic consideration for selection is nothing very extraordinary, possibly those who respond to the RFI will be given additional information. A number of Seminars and meets have already been held in which the requirement of the RFI would have been expanded.
The FRCV is required to be a `Medium Tank’ which can operate on India’s Western borders across the present category of military bridges and the existing civilian road infrastructure. This will place the FRCV in the 50 tonne category.
Engagement ranges surprisingly are required to be well matched to the contemporary MBTs whereas the actual requirement could have been worked out given the available visibility in the plains and the desert sector. This is the advantage of designing a tank for Indian conditions where the ranges which have already been caliberated in the plains and the desert sector varying between 2500 to 4000 metres should dictate the design. Lack of specific range being provided may result in a more generic criteria being developed, as there is still time this needs to be gone into.
Other characteristics desired include the High FRHP (First Round Hit Probability) and High SSKP (Single Shot Kill Probability), reasonable stealth through signature reduction and evasion/non detection systems with good mobility through reasonably high power to weight ratio. Here again there is far too much ambiguity being left whereas a range could be specified. But these issues could be clarified in the detailed briefings.
A major deficit is non inclusion of information component in the FRCV. Today the tank is not just a platform to deliver shock action but an information node that can act like an AWACS on the ground. Battle tanks as the Russian T 14 Armata can acquire information of likely targets through Active electronically scanned array radar and at a time track up to 40 targets simultaneously while providing solutions for destruction of the target simultaneously. The sighting systems available to the commander, gunner and driver are also information rich thus providing adequate scope for acquisition, identification and destruction of targets at long range. These inputs are from Wikipedia which has indicated Russian sources which could not be verified.
The FRCV at least in the RFI document has not indicated any provision for sensor and communication integration which would hopefully be included in the final design parameters. It would be important to select the design bureau which can provide an information based solution and not just one based on the traditional characteristics of mobility, fire power and protection.
Given the lull in procurement as the Indian defence forces awaiting the Annexure of DPP 2016 and decision of strategic partners to be nominated for the A Vehicle segment, there is a scope for review of the RFI and inclusion of the information component.
A major concern however is continued platform centric approach of the Indian armed forces if not the Army which is evident from having completed missed the requirements of sensors and communications to be incorporated in the design.
Hopefully this deficit has been made up already or will be in due course.
Jun 9, 2016
Today a year has gone by since the issue of the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) Request for Information (RFI) by the Directorate General of Mechanised Forces (DGMF) of the Indian Army technically known as the Integrated HQ of Ministry of Defence (Army).
The project is to be implemented in three stages Design, Prototype Development and Production. Presently only the first or the Design stage is under consideration. The three stage process is a part of the Defence Procurement Procedure “Make,” category. This is different from the Buy Indian Design and Developed Make category which is priority one in the Buy and Make category of the DPP 2016.
The RFI of 10 June 2015 elaborated the operational requirements and design philosophy relevant to the Design Stage and it is anticipated that the subsequent RFIs will be issued for Stage 2 and 3 though in case adequate homework had been done all three could have been given out simultaneously but that is a moot point.
The main issue is the platform centric rather than information centric approach in the design criteria which restricts the designer to provide sub optimal solution to the next generation tank for the Indian Army, but first a review of the RFI.
The RFI calls for designing a base platform for the Main Battle Tank as a replacement of the T 72 tanks in the Indian Army. This will be a modular concept which can meet the requirements of variants which could be from a tracked light tank to an armoured ambulance. Essentially the chassis will remain the same while the superstructure could vary depending on the numbers and usage desired. The modular concept is not new as at present for instance the Arjun chassis has been used for varied purposes such as the Bhim artillery gun.
The RFI is essentially to select tank design bureaus and agencies which would include the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who will be going through a design competition to be selected by a Design Selection Committee. The winning design(s) will carry suitable cash prize(s). Thus the design will be partially gratis. The agency/bureau whose designs are selected will work on the project through the prototype and the Limited Series Production (LSP) stages thereby ensuring providing detailed inputs in the production stage as well. The Design Selection Committee (DSC) is expected to have apart from officers of the DGMF tank design experts from the DRDO and other agencies. Private experts also need to be called up if not as members but to render advice to the DSC.
The basic consideration for selection is nothing very extraordinary, possibly those who respond to the RFI will be given additional information. A number of Seminars and meets have already been held in which the requirement of the RFI would have been expanded.
The FRCV is required to be a `Medium Tank’ which can operate on India’s Western borders across the present category of military bridges and the existing civilian road infrastructure. This will place the FRCV in the 50 tonne category.
Engagement ranges surprisingly are required to be well matched to the contemporary MBTs whereas the actual requirement could have been worked out given the available visibility in the plains and the desert sector. This is the advantage of designing a tank for Indian conditions where the ranges which have already been caliberated in the plains and the desert sector varying between 2500 to 4000 metres should dictate the design. Lack of specific range being provided may result in a more generic criteria being developed, as there is still time this needs to be gone into.
Other characteristics desired include the High FRHP (First Round Hit Probability) and High SSKP (Single Shot Kill Probability), reasonable stealth through signature reduction and evasion/non detection systems with good mobility through reasonably high power to weight ratio. Here again there is far too much ambiguity being left whereas a range could be specified. But these issues could be clarified in the detailed briefings.
A major deficit is non inclusion of information component in the FRCV. Today the tank is not just a platform to deliver shock action but an information node that can act like an AWACS on the ground. Battle tanks as the Russian T 14 Armata can acquire information of likely targets through Active electronically scanned array radar and at a time track up to 40 targets simultaneously while providing solutions for destruction of the target simultaneously. The sighting systems available to the commander, gunner and driver are also information rich thus providing adequate scope for acquisition, identification and destruction of targets at long range. These inputs are from Wikipedia which has indicated Russian sources which could not be verified.
The FRCV at least in the RFI document has not indicated any provision for sensor and communication integration which would hopefully be included in the final design parameters. It would be important to select the design bureau which can provide an information based solution and not just one based on the traditional characteristics of mobility, fire power and protection.
Given the lull in procurement as the Indian defence forces awaiting the Annexure of DPP 2016 and decision of strategic partners to be nominated for the A Vehicle segment, there is a scope for review of the RFI and inclusion of the information component.
A major concern however is continued platform centric approach of the Indian armed forces if not the Army which is evident from having completed missed the requirements of sensors and communications to be incorporated in the design.
Hopefully this deficit has been made up already or will be in due course.
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